Filipina tennis star Alex Eala made a commanding start to her Jingshan Tennis Open campaign, brushing aside Belarusian Aliona Falei, 6-3, 7-5, in their Round of 32 clash at the WTA 125 event in China.
Seeded first and ranked No. 58 in the world, Eala wasted no time asserting control. The opening set saw her dictate pace and precision, breaking Falei once and winning 41 of 75 points played. It was businesslike and brisk—a confident start from the 20-year-old standout.
But the second set was anything but routine.
Falei, undeterred by the early setback and despite racking up six double faults, clawed her way back. She even held Eala scoreless in the 10th game to level the frame, 5-all, briefly shifting the momentum.
Ever composed on the hard court, Eala summoned her signature grit. With sharp returns and steady service, she broke Falei again and sealed the match, converting five break points in total. The win sent her through to the Round of 16 of the USD160,000 tournament.
It was a gritty opener, but one that showed Eala’s poise under pressure—a promising sign as she chases her second WTA 125 title of the season.
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