Eala breaks new ground

Pinay ace rips joint, stretches Wimbledon run

MANILA, Philippines — It took Alex Eala a year to plot her vengeance on tormentor Maya Joint.

And she made sure to drop the hammer on the biggest stage of her young career.

Unleashing that classic Filipino never-say-die spirit, the gutsy Eala hacked out a rousing 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 comeback win over the Australian rising star yesterday to barge into the third round of Wimbledon – another first for Philippine tennis.

The 21-year-old ace had never gone past the second round in six previous Slam stints. Until now. And she made it sweeter with an emphatic bagel in the decider against the same woman who denied her a maiden pro title last year.

Same grass. Different ending.

As in her 6-1, 6-2 demolition of Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in Round 1, No. 29 seed Eala walked onto Court 3 like a home bet – and played like one – before a roaring, flag-waving Filipino gallery.

This time, it was steely resolve that made the difference.

“I really had to dig deep, especially after that first set. Maya came out on fire, she came out ready, and I was expecting a really good match. I was prepared for a good match,” said Eala.

“She obviously is coming off an amazing win (against Serena Williams) and I watched it. I think she played really well and handled herself really well in that situation.”

Eala, WTA No. 30, didn’t crumble like she did in that 4-6, 6-2, 6-7 (10-12) Eastbourne final heartbreaker last year, where she squandered four championship points. Not this time.

Not against Joint, unseeded and WTA No. 87, but dangerous as ever after stunning Williams, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, the previous day.

After a sluggish 1-3 start and a 3-6 first-set loss, Eala flipped the switch.

She ran away with the second, 6-2, to level. Then she turned ruthless.

Sporting a custom Nike cap stitched with “Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto” at the back, Eala was unforgiving – winning the decider without dropping a game.

Both hands up, she let out a roar to the predominantly Filipino crowd after a forehand winner sealed it at 30-40 in the sixth game, wrapping up the 1-hour, 58-minute war.

The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate now faces her toughest test yet: world No. 3 Iga Swiatek of Poland, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over former No. 1 Karolina Pliskova of Czechia, for a spot in the Round of 16.