Bound for PH Women’s Open quarters, Alex Eala hopes spirited run uplifts tennis in the country

MANILA, Philippines – More than winning, Alex Eala hopes her run in the Philippine Women’s Open sparks lasting support for tennis among Filipinos.

Already through to the quarterfinals, Eala aspires that her run in the country’s first-ever staging of a WTA 125 event can help lift tennis to new heights at home.

“I hope they are just as motivated as me to watch tennis as I am to play tennis,” Eala said of her supporters following her 6-4, 6-0 win against Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume on Wednesday, January 28, at the packed Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.

“I think we’ve had a lot of really good matches. I’m so happy with so many people that have turned out,” she added. “Despite the rain and the heat, you’re still here.”

Just like in Eala’s opening-round win over Alina Charaeva, Filipino fans filled the stands with oohs and aahs even as the home bet played through early jitters against Sakatsume.

Eala trailed 1-2 and 3-4 against her Japanese foe before she shackled Sakatsume for the rest of the first set en route to the 6-4 victory.

From there, Eala took over as she showcased her elite court coverage to prevent Sakatsume from building momentum and secure the win.

“I’m really happy even if the scores were a bit close,” Eala said. “I was in a lot of tough positions in this match, especially in the first set, but I’m really happy with how I fought through it.”

“I think there were definitely some points that felt like it was for her, but I was able to steal a couple, and that’s what pushed me through.”

Eala redeemed herself against Sakatsume after a 6-0, 6-3 loss in their first meeting in the Japan Open Tennis Championships in 2023.

The world No. 49 Eala, the only Filipino left in the tournament, takes on Camila Osorio of Columbia in the quarterfinals on Thursday, January 29, at the same venue. – Rappler.com