By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Filipina ace Alex Eala and American Iva Jovic are indeed the players to watch this year and beyond.
The exciting duo made sure to start the new year auspiciously by stunning tennis 7-time Grand Slam winnerVenus Williams and Elina Svitolina, 7-6 (7), 6-1, in the doubles event of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand on Monday, Jan. 5.
The unseeded Eala and Jovic pulled off a Houdini act in the first set before dominating the second to produce the shocking victory in one hour and 29 minutes.
Though Williams and Svitolina received a wildcard, the duo boasts vast experience, with the 45-year-old Williams also owning 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and Svitolina holding two career doubles crowns.
Their experience was evident in the first set as Williams and Svitolina dug deep from a 0-2 deficit to win four straight games for a 4-2 lead before Eala and Jovic held their ground to force a tiebreak.
Eala and Jovic maintained that composure in the tense breaker, overturning a 5-6 deficit to clinch the set.
They carried the same firepower in the second frame, cruising to a 4-1 lead and never looking back.
With the triumph, the pair set up a quarterfinal date with the winner between top seeds Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffee, and Jesika Malekova and Renata Zarazua.
The doubles match, however, would have to wait as Eala is scheduled to meet two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Donna Vekic in the singles opening round on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
Match is at 3:10 p.m.
Eala is using the event as a launchpad for her Australian Open campaign, where she will make her main-draw debut in the said Grand Slam.
