Eala takes act to Guadalajara Open

September 2 ------ AFTER making history at the US Open in New York, Filipino tennis hotshot Alex Eala takes her act to the Guadalajara Open in Mexico. The first Filipino to have won a major main draw singles match in the Open era, Eala faces Dutch Arianne Hartono in the opener round.

Seeded second in the 125-level tourney, Eala defeated Hartono thrice in as many matches. World no. 75 Eala first crossed paths with no. 187 Hartono at the Roehampton 2 semifinal in Great Britain back in August 2023. Eala topped Hartono, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-1, to advance to the final where she also prevailed over Aussie Arina Rodionov, 6-2, 6-3, for her fourth professional singles title.

The 20-year-old Eala repeated over 29-year-old Hartono last January at the Canberra 125 round of 16 in Australia, 6-3, 6-3. In the same month of the current year, Eala edged Hartono at the W100 Bengaluru first round in India, 6-2, 6-1. Eala last saw action at the US Open second round last Thursday when she yielded to Spanish Cristina Bucsa, 4-6, 3-6.

The lefty netter turned back world no. 14 Clara Tauson of Denmark in the first round, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11). That comeback win made Eala the first Philippine player to claim a Grand Slam singles main draw match triumph in the Open era. After the Guadalajara tiff that ends on September 6, Eala will compete at the Sao Paulo Open which will run from September 8 to 14 in Brazil.

Source: manilatimes.net