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๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐
With history waiting at Wimbledon, Alex Eala is not skipping the grind.
The 20-year-old Filipina tennis sensation entered the qualifiers of the World Tennis Association (WTA) 250 Eastbourne Open this week, her final warm-up before debuting in the womenโs singles main draw at the prestigious All England Club.
Eala, currently ranked No. 77 in the WTA, faces Turkeyโs Zeynep Sonmez in the opening roundโa showdown between two young guns separated by just five places in the global rankings.
The world No. 82 Turkish is no pushover, who captured the Merida Open title and logged Grand Slam main draw appearances at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year.
Eala, on the other hand, is making her fourth consecutive appearance on grass this season, determined to build momentum after a tough loss to world No. 31 Magda Linette in Nottingham last week.
The Filipina needed two qualifying wins in Eastbourne to crack the main draw, but beyond results, her focus has been on adapting to grassโarguably the most challenging surface for rising players.
Eala is seeded eighth in the qualifiers, but rankings have taken a back seat to readiness as she eyes a confident debut on one of tennisโ biggest stages.
Her Eastbourne match against Sonmez, slated for June 22, will serve as both a barometer of form and a final rehearsal for the Grand Slam spotlight.
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