By MARK REY MONTEJO
It was another bitter-sweet moment for Alex Eala.
Things just didn’t go according to plan for the charming Filipina ace, resulting in a 6-4, 6-2 defeat to American friend Iva Jovic in the opening round of the French Open on Tuesday, May 26, in Paris.
Eala’s first-round exit disappointed many of her fans.
And Eala?
Of course, she was understandably heartbroken.
Still, Eala took her defeat positively, believing she has enough room for improvement. And she has just turned 21.
The charming lefty emphasized how her game has improved through the years, noting that absorbing losses are part of the process and she won’t let her setback to derail her journey to greatness.
“I think it’s all in perspective. It’s been a long time since I moved to Spain or that period of time that I was talking about in the podcast. I’m top 40 now. I’ve done a lot of great things and the game at this level is so much more than just technique,” said Eala in post-game press conference.
“So there’s so many different factors that build into it. But that being said, I’m super proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m confident in myself. I’m confident in how I play even through losses like this,” she added. “And I think that’s very important. So it’s very difficult to achieve every single week. So I take that in my stride.”
But she harbors no ill-feeling towards her friend, admitting Jovic prepared harder than she did.
“I think we’re very accustomed to it and we’re all professionals. So everything kind of just prepared in the same way that you would any other slam,” Eala stressed.
“And I think the difficulty with facing Iva comes from her being a great tennis player and her being a really good competitor, instead of being my friend,” she added.
After all, it is all love for Eala and 18-year-old Jovic, who previously teamed up in the doubles event twice, highlighting their partnership with a sweep victory over veterans American Venus Williams and Ukrianian Elina Svitolina in the ASB Classic opener in Auckland, New Zealand earlier this year. They also reached the semifinal of the said competition.
Jovic, herself, posted a photo of her and Eala on an Instagram post.
“One of those days I wish there could be two winners,” Jovic wrote with Eala replying: “No one I’d rather share the court with LOVE YOU GIRL!!.”
Eala’s mission isn’t done yet in the glamorous city of Paris as she pairs with fellow young gun in Canadian Victoria Mboko. They take on Leylah Fernandez of Canada and Diana Shnaider of Russian in the French Open doubles opener.
