A BAPTISM by fire awaits Alex Eala, as she makes her Wimbledon debut against defending champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in the first round.
The official draw for the year’s third Grand Slam was released early Saturday morning (Manila time), placing the 20-year-old Filipino opposite the world No. 17 in what could be a David-versus-Goliath clash on grass.
Krejcikova, 29, may be vulnerable, though, having dealt with a thigh injury that forced her to withdraw from the Eastbourne Open this week, an absence that cleared the path for Eala’s semifinal opponent, Varvara Gracheva. The Czech star also missed the first five months of the season due to a lingering back issue.
Eala, from her end, is riding a wave of momentum, having surged from the qualifiers all the way to the Eastbourne final, where she is set to face Australia’s Maya Joint.
READ: Alex Eala posts gritty win over Gracheva to reach first WTA final
The WTA 250 event serves as her final tune-up before taking her second Grand Slam stage, following her first-round exit at Roland Garros earlier this year.
Krejcikova, for her part, is a seasoned major winner, having also hoisted the French Open trophy in 2021.
Their final schedule of match is still to be determined in the coming days.
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