Alex Eala is on the brink of qualifying for the main draw of the 2024 French Open after staging a remarkable comeback in her second qualifying match in Paris on Wednesday.
Eala, who turns 18 on Thursday, overcame Taylah Preston in a tough three-set battle, winning 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 to move a win away from her first-ever appearance in the main draw of a women's Grand Slam.
Eala will face the second-seed qualifier Julia Riera in her final qualifying match on her birthday for a chance to advance to the main tournament at Roland Garros.
A scholar at the Rafa Nadal Academy, Eala is no stranger to success at the French Open, having won the Girls’ Doubles title in 2021.
After losing the first set 4-6, Eala rallied in the third set, coming back from a 2-4 deficit. She won three consecutive games to take a 5-4 lead. Although Preston broke Eala’s serve in the 10th game to level the set at 5-5, Eala secured a crucial game to go up 6-5. She then clinched the match by winning the 12th game with a 40-15 lead.
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