By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Fate sometimes plays a joke – a cruel one for friends Alex Eala and Iva Jovic.
This, after the two landed in the same bracket at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, England this week.
If they hurdle their first-round opponents – their games being held at posting time – chances are they would meet right again in the second round – their second meeting since their May 26 first round duel at the French Open in Paris.
The American beauty won the match, 6-4, 6-2.
Grand Slam doubles champion Shuai Zhang while Jovic, seeded sixth, is playing against Croatian qualifier Antonia Ruzic.
Also in the lower half of the draw are last year’s Wimbledon finalist and second seed Amanda Anisinova, Tokyo Olympics champion Belinda Bencic, and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Eala is still fresh off a title win at the Birmingham Classic — her second WTA crown, while Jovic finished in the third round of the French Open after losing to Naomi Osaka.
They also played in the doubles at the ASBC Classic in New Zealand last January where they reached the semifinals.
