April 8 ------ FILIPINA teen tennis sensation Alex Eala held off Laura loana Paar of Romania in three sets, 6(6)-7(8), 6-1, 6-0, to advance to the third round of the W60 Bellinzona in Switzerland on Thursday morning (Philippine time). The win also defended her rematch with the 32-year-old, whom she already defeated in a French $25,000 stint earlier this year.
Eala rallied from a set down and blasted easy scores that limited WTA No. 2,016 Paar, who only escaped the first set with a tiebreaker, to just single points in the second and third sets of a match that lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes. It is her second victory in her first $60,000 tourney and her ninth pro this year. The Juniors World No. 3 also continues to improve her womens' rankings, where she’s currently at WTA No. 715.
The 15-year-old will now move to the third round of the competition (16-man round) and will next face another former opponent, home bet Simona Waltert, on Thursday night. This is already the third time they’ll meet on the court, with a win apiece for this faceoff of young netters. They crossed paths twice in the three-legged W15 Manacor in Spain.
Proud of her feat, Eala shared the news on her Facebook page and expressed gratitude for her fans’ continued support. “So happy to win my match today. Thank you for continuing to cheer me on! #LexGo,” she said.
Source: spin.ph