By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala faces another formidable rival in world no. 14 Belinda Bencic as she goes for a quarterfinal spot in the National Bank Open in Toronto, Canada on Monday, Aug. 10 (Philippine time).
Match is set not earlier than 8:10 a.m. (PH time) with the 25th-seeded Eala seeking to ride the momentum of her hard-fought third-round victory over American Caty McNally, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
The 12th-seeded Bencic, who won this WTA 1000 tournament back in 2015, is also coming off a tough match of her own, bouncing back from a first-set stumble to turn back Taylor Townsend, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-4.
The thrilling showdown marks the first time that Eala and Bencic are facing each other, with the 29-year-old Swiss star bringing an imposing resume that includes winning the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and having twice reached the Grand Slam semifinals.
The former world No. 4 also won 10 WTA Tour singles titles and two in doubles.
Last year, she rose from No. 421 to No. 11 in the world rankings during her first full season back on tour after taking a maternity leave.
This year, she collected a mixed doubles title at Indian Wells and reached the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. She also hadfourth-round finishes at the French Open and the Wimbledon.
And Eala? She’s also on a roll.
Her win over McNally extended her amazing run to seven – five of them during her breakthrough WTA Tour title at last week’s Mubadala DC Open.
That was because she was toughened by her remarkable fourth round finish at Wimbledon.
A win over Bencic would match Eala’s best WTA 1000 finish of the season — a quarterfinal run at the Dubai Tennis Championships last February.
It would also set up a quarters meeting with the winner between Alina Korneeva and fourth seed Coco Gauff.
