By NIKOLE JAVIER
Alex Eala is poised to claim her potential fifth pro title after marching into the semifinal round of the 2024 W50 Indore with a 7-5, 6-2 victory against Romanian Anca Alexia Rodoni in India on Friday, Feb. 2.
Eala broke out of a 5-all deadlock in the tightly-contested opening set win before dominating the second set with her superb groundstrokes and excellent returns,
The Filipina ace, who is awaiting her semis opponent, captured her first-ever doubles pro title in the W50 Pune also in India with Latvian partner Darja Semenistaja last Jan. 27.
Two weeks since suffering an early exit in the 2024 Australian Open, the 18-year-old actually competed in her first singles quarterfinal appearance of the year in the same event before eventually falling to her doubles partner Semenistaja.
Eala then reached a new career-high Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings in singles and doubles just two days prior.
The Filipina greeted the new year with a WTA singles ranking of No. 187 and jumped three notches owing it to her first quarterfinal finish of the year in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Indian event.
Coincidentally, the Filipina zoomed to a career-high doubles ranking at No. 302 from 436.
Should Eala barge into the final of the $50,000 tournament, she could be on track for her first singles pro title of the year after winning two in 2023.
There would no rest for the weary Eala as she is next set to see action in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open slated Feb. 5 to 11 at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City in United Arab Emirates.
