Alex Eala kicks off her Italian Open campaign against world No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in the Round of 128 on Wednesday at the Foro Italico in Rome.

Game time will be at 4 p.m. (Manila time) with Eala seeing action in her third Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 tournament of the year.

Eala, the world No. 70, previously joined the Madrid Open last April, where she made it as far as the Round of 64 before losing to world No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6.

The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate is looking to make another deep run just like how she did back in March at the Miami Open where she made it to the semifinal before losing to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States, 6-7, 7-5, 3-6.

The Italian Open will be Eala’s last major event before the French Open from 25 May to 8 June at Roland Garros Stadium.

But Kostyuk, 22, won’t be a pushover against the fast-rising Filipino tennis star.

For one, the Ukrainian netter bagged the 2023 ATX Open in Austin, Texas, and last year, made it to the quarterfinal of the Australian Open and the Paris Olympics.

The winner between Eala and Kostyuk will go up against world No. 15 Daria Kasatkina of Australia in the Round of 64.