By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala faces another acid test at the ASB Classic as she takes on the dangerous Petra Marcinko in the second round on Thursday, Jan. 8, in Auckland, New Zealand.
Match is at 8 a.m. with the fourth-seeded Filipina ace seeking a spot in the quarterfinals of this Women’s Tennis Association (WTA 250) tournament.
The 20-year-old Eala is coming off a stunning opening-round win over 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist Donna Vekic, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, as well as a morale-boosting first-round doubles victory with American partner Iva Jovic against tennis legends Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina, 7-6 (7), 6-1, two days before.
But expect the world No. 53 Eala to encounter stiff resistance from Marcinko, who is only seven months younger and is currently ranked No. 82.
Fresh from a 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (2) triumph over fellow unseeded Camila Osorio, the Croatian boasts of a breakthrough title win in a top-tier WTA 125 event — the 2025 ATV Tennis Open in Rome.
But she isn’t the only one with such credentials.
Last year, Eala also clinched her first WTA125 crown at the Guadalajara Open, and reached a ranking as high as No. 50.
A victory for Eala would earn her a quarterfinals berth with the winner between fifth seed Magda Linette and Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Linette is coming off a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over former world No. 1 Venus Williams, while Cocciaretto downed Alycia Parks, 6-2, 7-5.
Meanwhile, Eala and Jovic are also set for a quarters meeting with Jesika Maleckova and Renata Zarazua, who shocked top seeds Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffe, 3-6, 6-2, 12-10.
