By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala has decided to skip this week’s WTA125 Catalonia Open to have more time to prepare for the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Rome slated on May 5 to 17.
The 20-year-old Filipina standout pulled out of the event as she intends to go deep in the Rome tournament following dismal showing in her first three clay court events – the last at the Mutua Madrid Open, another WTA 1000 tournament.
In Madrid, Eala absorbed another quick exit, bowing in the second round to 19th seed Elise Mertens, 6-2, 6-1, while also losing in the doubles second round with Turkish partner Zeynep Sonmez.
The world No. 44 Eala is yet to get past the second round though she trained intensively on clay court at the Rafael Nadal Academy.
She kicked off her campaign at the WTA 500 Linz Open in Austria early this month, but weas beaten in the second round by former Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostepenko, 6-4, 7-5.
She next saw action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, another WTA 500 event, in Stuttgart, Germany, where she lost in the first round to Fil-Canadian Leylah Fernandez, 6-1, 6-4.
Eala hopes the one-week recovery and training would be enough for her to recalibrate in time for her Rome event as she will be up for another tough challenge with a star-studded field that has top 10 players Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisinova, Elena Svitolina, Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, Victoria Mboko.
Ex-Grand Slam champions Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Ostapenko are also in the initial player list as of Monday, April 27.
Last year, Eala also competed at the Italian Open but lost in the first round to Marta Kostyuk in straight sets.
She, however, teamed up with Gauff in the doubles and reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to second seed Sara Errani and Paolini.
