IN her first outright entry into a grand slam main draw at the 2025 French Open, Alex Eala will have to overcome a former tormentor to progress.
The 20-year-old Filipina, currently at No. 69 in the WTA rankings, will take on world No. 88 Emiliana Arango of Colombia, 24, when she makes her pro debut in the hallowed clay courts of Roland Garros.
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It’s not the first time the two will be meeting on the court, as Arango defeated Eala in the qualifiers of the 2024 Miami Open last year, overcoming a one-set deficit to pull off a 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 win.
That was, however, long before Eala made her huge leap in the rankings after her dream run a year later in Miami, where she beat big names like Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek to reach the semifinals of a WTA event for the first time.
Her inclusion in the prestigious grand slam field marks a milestone for Philippine tennis, as she continues to break ground for the country on the international stage.
Over a week ago, Eala ended her run in the Italian Open women’s doubles quarterfinals with now world No. 2 Coco Gauff.
On the other hand, Arango, who reached a career high of No. 79 in the world, is coming off a round-of-32 loss in the Parma Ladies Open earlier this week, before heading to the French Open.
Meanwhile, Swiatek, now ranked fifth in the world, faces a challenging path to securing a fourth consecutive Roland Garros title, following a year-long title drought.
The order of plays schedule is expected to finalize in the coming days.
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