Alex Eala stays upbeat heading into the Italian Open. Photograph courtesy of Rafael Nadal Academy/IG
TENNIS

Eala remains laser-focused

Ivan Suing

Alex Eala continues to stay positive as she is projected to go higher in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings ahead of the Italian Open in Rome on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old Eala is expected to hit No. 42 based on the live rankings as she takes another crack at a WTA 1000 tournament.

Eala, currently ranked No. 44, said she tries not to dwell on wins and losses too much as more tournaments are on the horizon.

“One thing I try to keep in mind is that when things are going bad or when you’re losing, it’s not as bad as it seems. And when things are going well, it’s also not as good as it seems,” Eala said.

“So it’s about finding that balance — staying humble but also hungry. I like to say: treat triumph and disaster in a similar way.”

Should Eala suffer an early exit in the Italian Open, she is slated to join the Parma Ladies Open from 11 to 16 May and will travel to France for the Strasbourg Grand Prix from 17 to 23 May via the qualifying round.

But her biggest test will be the French Open, which takes place at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris from 24 May to 7 June.

Eala has yet to win in the French Open in her professional career after suffering an early exit in the Round of 128 against Emiliana Arango of Colombia last year.

She hopes to turn her fortunes around as she has yet to have a deep run in a WTA 500 or 1000 tournament in clay courts.