𝗩𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀
Filipina-bet Alex Eala wasted no time asserting her dominance to breeze past Turkey’s Zeynep Sōnmez, 6-1, 6-3, to move one step closer to the Eastbourne Open main draw in the first round of the World Tennis Association (WTA) 250 qualifiers yesterday.
The 20-year-old Filipina, currently ranked No. 77 in the world, needed just an hour and 13 minutes to dispatch the world No. 82 Turkish standout, dominating the opener before steadying herself in a tighter second set.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as Sönmez mounted resistance midway through set two—breaking Eala’s serve in game six and narrowing the gap to 3-4—but the Filipina responded with a clutch love game and eventually closed it out after three tense deuces.
The win not only kept Eala’s Eastbourne campaign alive but also served as a crucial tune-up for her upcoming Grand Slam debut in the Wimbledon women’s singles main draw later this month.
Standing in her way now is top-seeded American Hailey Baptiste, ranked No. 56 in the world and fresh off a career-best fourth-round finish at the French Open, where she stunned 23rd seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Baptiste, known for her powerful baseline hitting, will be Eala’s biggest test yet in this grass court swing, but the Filipina’s poise under pressure in round one showed signs of growing confidence on the tricky surface.
Their clash, set for 5:00 p.m. Sunday (PH time) will not only decide who advances to the Eastbourne main draw but also serve as Eala’s final litmus test before she steps into the spotlight at Wimbledon
