Alex Eala is doing her best to stay healthy as she plunges into action in the Queen’s Club Championships in London.
In an article by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the world No. 31 Filipina said she is doing everything she can to make sure she would not suffer any injuries as she braces for a tough schedule in the grass-court tournaments.
The 21-year-old Rafael Nadal Academy alumna is coming off a historic conquest in the Birmingham Classic over the weekend where she defeated No. 69 Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, England.
“My athleticism is something that I’ve been working on. It’s more precautionary than anything,” Eala said regarding the tape on her leg.
“Of course, it’s a physical feat to go deep in a tournament, so I’m just trying to keep my body in shape.”
Eala was battling No. 64 Zhang Shuai of China in the Round of 32 of this prestigious WTA 500 tournament as of press time.
Should Eala win, she could set up a rematch with No. 19 Iva Jovic of the United States in the Last 16.
The 18-year-old Jovic swept Eala, 6-4, 6-2, in the Round of 128 of the French Open last May.
Eala said going through tough matches like what she had against Bartunkova will help her decision-making and composure in the long run.
After all, the Filipina ace is doing everything she can not only to prepare for the Wimbledon Championships on 29 June at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in London, but also to break into the Top 32 of the WTA rankings and earn a bye in the third Grand Slam of the year.
“With matches like this, it often is like that. I was lucky enough to play with intensity and win the important moments. In the end, I think that’s what made the difference,” said Eala, who is hoping to make an impact at Wimbledon after suffering a 6-3, 2-6, 1-6 loss to Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic in the Round of 128 last year.