MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala finally broke out of a slump, thwarting Swiss rival Valentina Ryser, 6-3, 7-5, to rule the W25 Yecla yesterday in Spain.
The Filipina tennis sensation blew a championship point but made up for it by owning the next two games in the tiebreaker of the second set to bag her first professional title this year.
Eala broke Ryser’s serve in the extended game of the second set and was not to be denied in the clincher for her third overall pro championship.
The lefty wunderkind last won a title in 2022 by topping the W25 Chiang Rai in Thailand for her second mint after a breakthrough run in the 2021 W25 Manacor also in Spain.
This time after a string of early exits in Europe, the United States, Thailand and Australia, Eala took care of business sparked by a 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 win over Great Britain’s Katy Dunne and a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 triumph against France’s Nahia Berecoechea in the opening rounds.
And there was no looking back for Eala, who just turned 18 last month, by besting Mexico’s Victoria Rodriguez, 6-1, 6-3, and Argentina’s Lucia Peyre, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
Even the older Ryser, 22 years old, the WTA No. 560 and with three titles in her pocket, could not stop the rampaging Pinay ace.
Eala, who started the year at WTA No. 214 before sliding down to No. 266, is expected to climb the ranks anew with this big win.
Her WTA No. 214 ranking was her career-best after winning the US Open juniors championship last year.
She had previously won two junior doubles titles in the Australian Open and French Open.