By Kristel Satumbaga
Alex Eala, the country’s top junior netter who made headlines last week, is now ranked No. 4 in the world.
The pleasant news is likely to boost her drive in her bid to become the next big thing in tennis as she left for Mallorca, Spain yesterday.
The 14-year-old scholar of the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in Spain jumped five notches from No. 9 after winning the Australian Open girls doubles crown with Indonesian partner Priska Madelyn Nugroho last Friday.
The charming and power-hitting Eala also credited her third-round finish in the girls singles barging the top five in the latest International Tennis Federation rankings.
“The win was very unexpected,” said Eala in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas. “It’s really hard to believe that I’ve come this far, but I try not to dwell on what I have now. I’m looking forward to more tournaments.”
Her title feat made her only the second Filipino to win a Grand Slam event after Francis Casey Alcantara, who won the Australian Open boys doubles title in 2009.
The accolades have boosted Eala’s confidence that she intends to compete in pro circuit events.
She’s hoping to play in March but she has to confirm it first with the management of the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Eala believes that the more pro events she will compete the more she will gain from those – experience and confidence-wise.
Though she will compete in some pro events, Eala will still continue in junior tournaments, including the pre-Grand Slam event of the French Open at Roland Garros in May.
“It’s not easy to be in court there. I get so nervous, but eventually I need to deal with nerves and still think straight during the matches,” she said.
Eala has come a long way from No. 248 at the end of the 2018 season before improving to No. 13 last October.
She started this year at No. 9 due to stellar showing in some major events.
