Eala exacts payback

Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala started her W100 Cary women’s singles campaign on a high note after a 6-1, 6-3 sweep over Julia Riera of Argentina in the Round of 32 in North Carolina on Tuesday.

Eala only needed 58 minutes to get the job done and book a slot in the Last 16.

This was sweet revenge for the 19-year-old Rafael Nadal Academy after losing to Riera in the final qualifying match at the French Open last June.

The 22-year-old Argentine posted a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 win over Eala to enter the second Grand Slam of the year.

Eala will face the winner between Hina Inoue of the United States and Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia in the Round of 16.

Eala and Selekhmeteva joined hands in winning the 2021 French Open junior girls doubles title.

The Asian Games bronze medalist looks to add a sixth women’s singles title to her name after dominating the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain after beating Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva of Andorra, 6-4, 6-4.

Eala also hopes to bounce back after bowing out of the 2024 Koser Jewelers Tennis Challenge quarterfinal last Saturday after a 1-6, 6-0, 3-6 loss to Olivia Gadecki of Australia.