AFTER just a week of rest and recovery, Alex Eala is back on her feet and ready to compete in the WTA 1000 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, also known as the Italian Open.
Her father, Michael Eala, shared a photo of the 19-year-old tennis star departing from Madrid to Rome late Friday night (Manila time).
Earlier this week, Eala, currently ranked 72 in the world, withdrew from the WTA 125 Catalonia Open in Vic, Spain, where she had been seeded sixth.
READ: Alex Eala skips Catalonia tournament, could join Italian Open
The decision is widely seen as a strategic move to focus her preparations on the higher-stakes tournament in Italy.
The Italian Open runs from May 6 to 18 and will serve as her final stop before making her Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland Garros.
Eala is aiming to bounce back from a second-round exit at the Mutua Madrid Open last week, where she fell to world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
Swiatek, whom Eala stunned at the Miami Open in March, is also the reigning champion of the Italian Open.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is also set to compete, alongside former titleholders Elina Svitolina and Elena Rybakina.
The official draw is expected to be released in the coming days.
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