By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala is giving herself enough time to reach her career goals particularly this season after achieving impressive feats the past month.
“I think I’m on track. Tama lang,” said the country’s top tennis player in Noli Eala’s Power & Play Program over the weekend.
“I can’t rush myself into things. I’m giving myself time to improve my craft and I think I’m playing the best I’ve had at the moment,” she added.
The 18-year-old Filipina tennis sensation said she is trying to compete against herself in reaching the goals she and her team have set for herself, and right now, she has seen improvement and maturity in her game.
That proved to be evident when she won her first-ever pro doubles title with Latvian partner Darja Semenistaja at the W50 Pune International Tennis Federation (ITF) event a few weeks ago, while also reaching her career-high Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles ranking at No. 184.
She is currently ranked No. 187 in the singles and 303 in the doubles.
“I’ve been through a lot lately, some ups and downs. But I’m happy that people are seeing the positives of my career. I’m just happy with my level of tennis right now and hopefully yung improvement, magtuluy-tuloy na yan,” she said.
Eala has already set herself goals for the season — goals that seemed lofty but achievable.
“I aim to join all the four Grand Slams and hopefully qualify to the main draw on one of them. And maybe, break the Top 150 (of the WTA singles rankings) at some point,” Eala said.
Eala has already made it to the Australian Open last month, although she failed to make it past the qualifying round. And with her current ranking, her goal of breaching the Top 150 doesn’t seem far-fetched.
For sure, more things will come for the teenage wonder.
