ALEX Eala bucked a slow start to win in her Women’s Tennis Association main draw debut.
The Filipina teen tennis ace rallied from 0-4 in the first set to trounce Paula Ormaechea of Argentina, 7-5, 6-2, in the first round of the Cluj-Napoca Winners Open in Romania, Tuesday midnight (Manila time).
For Eala, it was a rousing debut in the WTA main draw.
Despite an unsteady kick off that cost her more time in the first set, the World Juniors No. 2 knocked out the WTA No. 209, easily dominating the next set with a 5-1 lead before icing it at 6-2.
Eala joined the WTA 250 tournament as a wild card entry.
Alex Eala becomes the first Filipina to win a WTA main draw
The 16-year-old becomes the first Filipino woman to compete and win in a WTA main draw event.
In a Facebook post, she wrote: “So happy to have won my debut match at a WTA 250 Tournament.”
Her feat over Ormaechea, 28, is likely to improve her rankings, where she currently sits at WTA no. 634.
Still, Eala needs to improve on her service, as she recorded nine double faults in a match that lasted one hour and 35 minutes.
She will next face WTA no. 119 Mayar Sherif of Egypt in the round of 16. In her opener. Sherif eliminated tournament top seed Alize Cornet of France.
The Cluj Napoca runs until August 8, 2021.
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