Cautious but optimistic, Eala targets SEA Games gold
BAC NINH, Vietnam – Alex Eala is not getting ahead of herself and instead remains committed to her of bringing home a gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games.
After winning her opening match in women's singles on Tuesday at the Hanaka Sports and Entertainment Center here, Eala said that like everybody else, she wants to pull out all the stops to sit atop the podium.
"Well, of course, I have to take it one match at a time to not get too in my head. But you know, I come here to play and I'm gonna go for gold," Eala said following her 6-1, 6-1 thrashing of Phorphatehep Philyvong.
"That's really the goal, I think, of everyone who plays the SEA Games. It's no different for me," she added.
Eala already copped a bronze medal after her third place finish in the women’s team event.
But knowing her caliber, the Rafa Nadal Academy scholar wants to achieve more.
"I'm really gonna try and play my heart out for the country and for my friends and family," she said.
A win in the quarterfinals tomorrow will guarantee Eala at least a bronze medal in her event.
The two-time Junior Grand Slam winner is seeded second in the event. Home bet Chanelle Van Nguyen is the top seed.
Apart from women's singles, Eala is competing in mixed doubles with Treat Huey.
Eala and Huey open their quarterfinals campaign on Wednesday after drawing a bye in the first round as the second seed.
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