Eala plotting adjustments ahead of clay season

Making crucial adjustments will be the order of business when Alex Eala shifts her focus to clay courts.

In a podcast with former world No. 1 player Andy Roddick, the 20-year-old Eala acknowledged that there’s a need to adjust as opponents are now studying her following her massive rise in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour.

“Coming into tournaments now, people know me more. There are more videos of my game online, but that’s the case everywhere now,” said Eala, who wrapped up her Miami Open campaign after losing to world No. 14 Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, 0-6, 2-6, in the Round of 16 last week.

“In Indian Wells, they knew me. In Dubai, they knew me. Miami is special because that’s where things clicked for me, but at the end of the day, it’s still just another tournament.”

Eala, No. 29 in the WTA, is expected to drop to No. 45 once the rankings are announced next week.

Still, the Filipina ace knew that unpredictability is just part of the game.

“Anything can happen. I could win the whole thing or lose in the first round. If I don’t get a win here, I’ll get it somewhere else,” Eala said.

“One of my goals this year was to be more social with other players, and I think it’s going really well.”

Eala is taking a much-needed breather before she travels to Austria for the Upper Austria Ladies Linz Open at the Design Center Linz from 9 to 16 April.

She will also see action in the Madrid Open from 21 April to 4 May at the La Caja Magica in Spain and the Italian Open from 4 to 18 May at the Foro Italico in Rome, events that give her a good warm up for the French Open from 17 May to 8 June at the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris.

Although Eala failed to reach the semifinals, she will still leave Miami with a heart full of gratitude.

“I can confirm, Miami’s still the best,” said Eala, who reached the second round of the Indian Wells, the other half of the “Sunshine Double” that is dubbed as the “Fifth Grand Slam.”

“I’ll always have a special place in my heart for this tournament. First ‘Sunshine Double’ done!”