Eala trounces Swiss rival, advances to Round of 16

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA

Alex Eala pounded Swiss opponent Simona Waltert, 6-1, 6-4, to jumpstart her title bid in the ITF Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar World Tennis Tour in Manacor, Spain Wednesday, March 3.

The 15-year-old Eala, who is only in her third appearance at a $25,000 event, waxed hot in the opening set before encountering a stiff challenge from Waltert in the one hour, 45-minute match.

The Filipino bet railed from a 4-3 second-set deficit by winning the next three games en route to the victory.

The win set up Eala a second-round meeting with third seed Jana Fett of Croatia, who survived Latvia’s Diana Marcinkevica, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Fett, 24, is ranked No. 210 and is coming off a semifinal finish at the W25 Poitiers in France last week.

Fett also saw action in the qualifying round of the 2021 Australian Open, but failed to make it past the main draw.

Eala seeks her second pro title after winning the W15 Manacor event last January.