No rest for Alex Eala as 2nd pro career tourney looms
MANILA, Philippines – Hungry for more success, there will be no rest for the weary as the Filipina tennis prodigy Alex Eala plunges into her second straight event in Spain after netting her first pro-career title last weekend.
The 15-year old lass seeks to carry on the momentum with a first round tussle against Mirjam Bjorklund of Sweden today in the second leg of the W15 Manacor ITF Rafael Nadal Academy World Tennis Tour in Mallorca.
Just like her seasoned opponents in the first stop, the ITF Juniors no. 3 Eala will be tested by the 22-year-old Bjorklund, who is the tournament no. 2 seed with over 200 pro games and six ITF titles on her pocket.
Only on her second year in the pro circuit, Eala last Sunday announced a roaring arrival even against a veteran field by ruling the opening leg of the W15 Manacor tilt over the 28-year-old hometown bet Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.
In the same tourney, Bjorklund suffered a 7-5, 6-1 quarterfinal defeat against Hong Kong's' Adithya Karunaratne, whom Eala dispatched in the semis with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Eala's other wins on her way to her maiden ITF title were against world no. 2 Seone Mendez (6-4, 6-2) of Australia, Italy’s Ana Paradisi (6-1, 6-2) and France's Carole Monnet (6-7, 7-6, 6-4).
Now at no. 942 in the women's singles rankings after starting the year at no. 1651, Eala is expected to go deep in the $15,000-conclave after earning praises from mentor and world no. 2 men's player Rafael Nadal, who is set to play in the Australian Open.
Eala has also booked a slot in the third leg set in the first week of February after this joust slated to run until Sunday.
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