The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) praised Alex Eala after finally scoring her first-ever main draw victory in the Italian Open last Wednesday in Rome.

Philta executive director Tonette Mendoza said in an episode of “Off the Court” last Thursday that she expected the 20-year-old star to display composure and resilience despite facing veteran Magdalena Fręch in the Round of 128.

The world No. 42 Eala hacked out a gutsy 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 victory over No. 45 from Poland to make her mark in the prestigious Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 tournament.

“It showed Alex’s character. I’ve known her since she was six years old and she’s always had a strong heart. She never gives up and always finds a way to win,” Mendoza said in the weekly online sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

“I was nervous because she got broken first in the second set, but she didn’t panic. She stayed with her game plan and trusted her shots. In the end, she found a way to win and we’re all very happy for her.”

Mendoza added that she remains optimistic about Eala’s continued development despite her string of early exits in the Linz Open and the Stuttgart Open last April.

“What’s important is that she won a difficult match against a player who is very good on clay. She found a way to overcome adversity, and that’s a big step,” Mendoza said.

“She enters the next round with confidence after digging herself out of trouble in that opening match.”

Eala will face No. 31 Wang Xinyu of China on Friday at 4 p.m. (Manila time).

Should Eala overcome the Chinese standout, a potential showdown with world No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan could await in the Round of 32.

Eala said she believes she has matured significantly compared to her debut appearance in the tournament last year, although she remains cautious given the unpredictability of the sport.

“I’m physically and mentally a much better player than I was last year. My team and I have been working hard, and hopefully the things we’ve worked on continue to show in my game,” Eala said.

“Everybody is really good at this level, and anything can happen. That’s the beautiful thing about tennis, but it also keeps you on your toes because every match is different.”