By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala will have her hands full advancing to the main draw of the 2024 Australian Open as she goes up against Rebecaa Peterson of Sweden in the first qualifying round on Tuesday, Jan. 9, in Melbourne.
Last year, Eala failed to get past the tournament proper after losing to Misaki Doi of Japan in three sets in the opening of the qualifying event.
This time, Eala, 18, hopes to put a new twist to her “love affair” in the season-opening Grand Slam event.
This marks the first time that Eala would be meeting the 28-year-old Peterson, who has made regular appearances in the main draw of the Grand Slams.
Last year, the Swedish player made it to the Round of 64 of the Roland Garros and the Round of 128 in the Wimbledon and US Open.
She has also made it to the second round of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Ranked No. 128 in the Women’s Tennis Association, Peterson also boasts of 14 International Tennis Federation (ITF) singles titles although she has yet to win one since last clinching a crown in the W60 Rancho Santa Fe event in 2021.
Eala, meanwhile, enjoys a career-high ranking of No. 185 and hopes to make heads turn in her second Australian Open appearance in the women’s division.
She is coming off a semifinal finish in the doubles of the Workday Canberra International.
