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Alex Eala will get one other confidence enhance forward of her foremost draw debut within the Australian Open, the primary Grand Slam of the yr
MANILA, Philippines – It could have been simply an exhibition, however Alex Eala made positive her presence was unmistakable on the Kooyong Basic in Melbourne.
On Friday, January 16, the invitation-only event declared Eala as this yr’s champion, handing her the Evonne Goolagong Cawley Trophy, named after the previous world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion of Australia.
The trophy capped Eala’s buildup for her foremost draw look within the Australian Open early subsequent week.
“It feels nice. I’m tremendous excited,” Eala mentioned throughout the Australian Open pre-event press convention. “, coming in as a foremost draw participant offers a special vibe, particularly with the struggles I had prior to now coming right here. So, I’m tremendous excited to come back right here in full drive.”
Eala is coming into the Grand Slam occasion with nice momentum, successful 4 of her final 5 matches, together with one towards Paris Olympics silver medalist Donna Vekic within the Kooyong Basic final Wednesday, January 14.
The 20-year-old Filipino’s 2026 stretch to this point additionally features a semifinal run within the ASB Basic in Auckland, New Zealand, the place her lone loss got here to China’s Wang Xinyu within the semifinals.
The occasion additionally pushed her to a career-high No. 49 world rating this week, forward of the primary Grand Slam of the yr.
Eala mentioned matches resembling these in Auckland and Melbourne benefited her for the Australian Open, the one Grand Slam occasion she has but to debut in the principle draw.
“It was positively nice for confidence. Getting matches at all times helps earlier than Slams, so I’m assured with how I’m taking part in. It doesn’t imply that matches aren’t going to be robust right here, so I’m prepared for enjoying right here,” she mentioned.
Within the Australian Open’s first spherical, Eala will face American Alycia Parks, who’s presently the WTA-ranked No. 100 coming into the event.
The 25-year-old Parks reached the third spherical of the Australian Open in 2024, 5 months after she reached her career-high No. 40 rating in August 2023.
The winner will then tackle world No. 19 Karolína Muchová of the Czech Republic or No. 37 Jaqueline Cristian of Romania within the second spherical.
With Eala rising as one of many event’s marquee points of interest, the Filipino sensation is about to attract one other wave of flag-waving followers, simply as she has in previous tournaments.
“On this a part of the world, there are plenty of Filipinos, and the turnout this yr has grown considerably, I’d say, from the previous yr,” she mentioned. “So, I’m simply so completely happy to see this atmosphere, and individuals are excited once I’m on courtroom.”
Whereas she is making ready for the Australian Open, Eala can be pencilled to be one of many wildcards within the Philippine Girls’s Open, the first-ever WTA 125 occasion within the nation, from January 26 to 31.
For her, it was a dream realized finally and a event she might lastly name dwelling.
“I’m completely happy that it’s lastly coming collectively. It’s actually occurring. It’s a dream to have a house event, and simply the WTA stage normally, I feel it’s an enormous step for tennis within the Philippines and ladies’s tennis, particularly since I do know some associates who’re going to play there,” she mentioned.
“I’m so completely happy that it’ll convey plenty of inspiration and plenty of motivation for the women again dwelling.” – Rappler.com
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