Eala plays in Rome for French Open warmup

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala will have one more tournament before marching on to her much-awaited main draw debut in the French Open on May 25 to June 8 in Paris.

Eala is listed in the Italian Open scheduled May 6-18 in Rome, serving as her final preparation for Roland Garros, where she’s a former juniors doubles champion.

The 19-year-old Filipina pride was previously entered in the 32-player main draw of the Catalonia Open in Spain – already in the qualifying stage until May 3. Her name, however, is no longer included in the latest draw.

She will focus her sights now in Rome before trooping to Paris, looking to make up for a second-round exit in the Madrid Open last week.

Eala bowed to world No. 2 and reigning champion Iga Swiatek of Poland – whom she stunned in the Miami Open – in Round 2 of the Madrid tourney, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6.

She beat Bulgaria’s Victoriya Tomova, 6-3, 6-2, in Round 1, a result which may give her few more points to jack up her Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking of No. 72 in the updated list.