ALEX Eala is now only three wins away from another professional title.
The Filipina teen tennis sensation, WTA no. 419, asserted her dominance over a higher-ranked pro player, Xiaodi You of China, winning straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, in the round of 16 of W25 Madrid on Thursday night, at Ciudad de la Raqueta.
17-year-old Eala led early in the first set, 4-1, and maintained her momentum throughout.
The second set, though, proved more challenging, but Eala eventually regained her form to sweep the World No. 296, who's also fourth-seeded in the tourney.
Alex Eala will face her doubles partner next
She is now through to the quarterfinals of the $25,000 tiff and will face WTA no. 331 Alice Robbe, her doubles partner, on Friday afternoon. Previously, Eala and Robbe suffered an an early exit in doubles after a loss in the quarterfinals earlier this week.
W25 Madrid is Eala's first competition after garnering three bronze medals from the recently-concluded 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The Filipina tennister is looking to clinch her third pro title after her W15 Manacor in 2021, and the W25 Chiang Ra last April.
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