Alex Eala out to improve game with French Open experience
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala may have exited the 2020 French Open Juniors tournament without a trophy, but it doesn't mean she left empty-handed.
Speaking to Philippine media on Sunday in an online press conference, Eala revealed she learned much from her weeklong tournament in Paris.
"I think I learned a lot of things about my game and what I need to improve," Eala said.
"I saw the differences between pros and juniors just like most of the grand slams I go to... I think that now I have a clear image what I need to work on," she added.
The 15-year-old is back in Mallorca, Spain at the Rafa Nadal Academy, already ready to get back to training after a historic feat in Roland Garros that ended in the semifinals.
Eala became just the second Filipino to reach a Grand Slam singles semifinals since Felix Barrientos achieved the feat in the 1985 Wimbledon Juniors tournament.
Expected to move up to World No. 2 in the ITF Juniors rankings, the Australian Open girls' doubles champion is looking to gain more experience in the pro circuit in the coming months.
"Hopefully I can join more women's tournaments but this year I also have a limit on the number of women's tournaments I can join because of my age," she said.
"We're trying to balance it out... women's and also juniors so that I play enough tournaments and play enough matches," she added.
Eala had already begun her pro career earlier this year before being stymied by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
She reached the second round in her first pro tournament in Monastir, Tuniesia before falling to 24-year-old Nina Stadler in three sets.
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