Eala soaks up royalty

MANILA, Philippines —  It’s a short-lived partnership for Filipina rising star Alex Eala and American all-time great Venus Williams.

But for Eala, it’s still a massive career milestone dipped in gold.

First and foremost, it’s not every day that a rising netter gets to share the court with tennis royalty.

Eala said being gifted a wildcard doubles teamup with 46-year-old, seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams at the Bad Homburg Open is a kind of “pinch me” experience most players only dream about.

It didn’t matter that it lasted only two matches.

And the timing couldn’t be more perfect. This high-profile grass-court experience serves as the perfect springboard for Eala’s historic upcoming debut at Wimbledon, where she is locked in to become the very first Filipino player to secure a singles seeding in a Grand Slam tournament.

On Wednesday, the Filipino-American duo clicked right away. Eala’s sizzling baseline pace fused with Williams’ timeless, lethal touch at the net as they ousted Australian Alexandra Osborne and American Catherine Harrison, 6-3, 6-4.

Less than 24 hours later, reality bit. Back on the Bad Homburg lawns, Eala and Williams bowed to second seeds Olivia Nicholls of Great Britain and Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia, 6-3, 6-2, falling short of a semifinal berth.

Still, call it a win.

Because the real prize wasn’t the scoreboard. It was the priceless education – two matches and a lifetime of lessons.

For Eala, two matches meant two hours of downloading veteran savvy, court psychology, and the icy composure of an all-time great – lessons you can’t get from any coaching manual.

Just days prior, Eala absorbed a heartbreaking singles exit at the hands of Belgium’s Elise Mertens. A lesser player might have carried that baggage.

But standing beside royalty has a way of clearing the clouds. It teaches a young warrior to forget the misses, stand tall, and swing for the next point.

Now Wimbledon awaits. Eala is coming in sharper, wiser, and carrying a piece of Venus Williams with her.