Alexandra “Alex” Eala, the Philippine tennis wunderkind, has impressively bagged her first title of the year and her third as a professional player at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) W25 Yecla Tournament in Murcia, Spain.
The Filipino teenager, just 18 years old, confidently outplayed the 22-year-old Valentina Ryser of Switzerland in the finals, triumphing 6-3, 7-5, on June 4th.
Eala, who was the second seed in the tournament, took home the champion’s prize of $25,000, significantly boosting her career earnings. This latest victory is a significant addition to the young athlete’s burgeoning career.
The former World No. 2 Junior Tennis player who won the 2022 US Open Girls Singles Championship, turned pro in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Despite the challenges, Eala has added the W25 Yecla trophy to her growing collection of professional titles, including the W15 Manacor in Spain in January 2021 and the W25 Chiang Rai in Thailand in April 2022.
Her path to securing her newest professional title wasn’t easy, but Eala displayed outstanding resilience and skill, defeating several challenging competitors. She fought back to overcome Katy Dunne from Great Britain in the first round, Nahia Berecoechea of France in the second, Victoria Rodriguez from Mexico in the quarter-finals, and Lucia Peyre of Argentina in the semi-finals before meeting Ryser in the final match.
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Sunday’s victory at the Yecla tournament is a turning point in Eala’s year, which initially saw her struggle to make it past the second round in the first eight tournaments. Her previous stint in the W25 Monastir in Tunisia marked a change in her fortunes as she broke into the quarterfinals. Prior to that, she faced early eliminations in the Australian Open in January, as well as the Miami Open in March, and the Madrid Open in April.
This resounding victory has invigorated Eala’s season and is an encouraging sign of her potential. The young champion’s journey is an inspiring tale of tenacity and persistence, solidifying her reputation as one of the brightest stars in Philippine sports and, indeed, the international tennis arena.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Alex Eala of the Philippines for winning her first championship this year and her third as a professional player!
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