First-round bye on Eala radar

A first-round bye could again be within Alex Eala’s reach as the Filipina tennis star gears up for the Canadian Open in Toronto, which starts on 2 August.

Ranked No. 32 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) standings, the 21-year-old Eala is projected to climb to a career-high No. 28, putting her in position to secure a seeded spot.

If she remains inside the WTA’s top 32, Eala will receive a first-round bye in the prestigious WTA 1000 event, marking the second time she earns the privilege after doing so at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells last February.

The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate heads into the North American swing with plenty of momentum after becoming the first Filipina to reach the Round of 16 of the Wimbledon Championships, the deepest singles run by a Filipino in the tournament’s history.

Eala said her recent form at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club definitely helped her be more confident against the world’s best tennis players.

“Of course, it will add confidence. I think it’s important that every match I played this week, and every match that I play, I go in with the self-esteem and the thought that I’m able to win,” Eala said.

“With tennis and matches that are tight, it sometimes can depend on one point or two. I think it’s how you manage yourself during those moments.”

Before returning to competition, Eala will take a brief break in the Philippines following her impressive Wimbledon campaign.

She will open her hard-court schedule at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington from 27 July to 2 August, where defending champion Leylah Fernandez leads a strong field that also features Jasmine Paolini, Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, Marta Kostyuk and rising American Iva Jovic.

After Toronto, Eala will compete in the Cincinnati Open in Ohio from 13 to 23 August before shifting her focus to the season’s final Grand Slam, the US Open, which begins on 24 August.