Eala gets back at Chinese foe to make Italian Open Round of 32

Sports

FILIPINA tennis sensation Alex Eala hit two birds with one stone when she took down China’s Xinyu Wang, 6-4, 6-3, in their Round of 64 duel in the WTA 1000 Italian Open on Friday (Philippine time), May 8, in Rome.

The victory did not only keep Eala’s campaign alive but it also avenged the Filipina’s sorry loss to Wang in the semifinal round of WTA 250 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand last January.

After securing the grind-out win, a tougher assignment awaits the world No. 42 Eala as she will next face world No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the Round of 32.

Rybakina sealed a Round of 32 seat by blasting Greece’s Maria Sakkari in their own Last 64 match, 6-4, 61.

It will be the first time that the 20-year-old Eala will be facing Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam champion.

Coming off a 6-0, 3-6, 64 first-round win over Poland’s Magdalena Frech, Eala started slow against Wang and trailed early, 0-3. Eala, however, overcame the anemic start and went to steal the opening set.

Eala started slow again in the second frame and fell into a 2-3 hole before regaining her form again en route to sealing the morale-boosting victory.(CCM)