Alex Eala inches closer to another WTA title win. (File Photo/AP)
There’s no stopping Alex Eala.
The Filipina tennis sensation continued her impressive run at the WTA 250 Sao Paulo Open after thumping Argentina’s Julia Riera, 6-1, 6-4, to book a spot in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Sept. 11 (Philippine time).
Seeded third in the tournament, the 20-year-old Eala dominated the opening set and held off Riera’s second-set resistance to move one step closer to another Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title.
Eala needed one hour and 17 minutes to dispatch her older opponent in a commanding performance, showcasing her growing prowess on the professional circuit.
But she expects another bumpy road as her victory arranged her a next meeting with the dangerous Janice Tjen, who hardly broke a sweat in routing Martina Okalova, 6-0, 6-1.
In that match, Tjen needed only 52 minutes to dump Okalova.
This marks the first-ever meeting between Eala and Tjen on the WTA tour.
Both players are coming off historic performances at the US Open. Eala made history as the first Filipina to win a singles match in a Grand Slam, while Tjen became the first Indonesian in 22 years to claim a main-draw victory at the prestigious tournament.
Despite their breakthrough wins, both saw their campaigns end in the second round.
On paper, Eala holds the edge with a current WTA ranking of No. 61, compared to Tjen’s career-high of No. 130.
However, the Indonesian brings a wealth of experience. The 23-year-old honed her game in the US collegiate circuit, having played for the University of Oregon and Pepperdine University that helped her build an impressive resume with 13 singles and six doubles titles on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) circuit.
While Eala has five ITF singles and three doubles titles to her name, her recent breakthrough — winning her maiden WTA title at the Guadalajara Open last week — has cemented her status as one of the tour’s hottest rising stars.
