NINGBO OPEN: Eala ends slump with convincing 1st-round win

Sports

AFTER three straight upset losses, Alex Eala finally got into a good rhythm and kicked off her campaign in the Ningbo Open with a convincing win in China on Monday night, Oct. 19.

The 21-year Filipina tennis star needed just 71 minutes to dispatch Diane Parry, 6-3, 6-1.

The win over the world No. 34 Parry France was Eala’s first in the WTA Tour since her third-round finish at the US Open in September.

Before facing Parry, the world No. 20 Eala absorbed stinging losses against lower-ranked foes. She was beaten by world No. 117 Tatiana Prozorova in Singapore, no. 85 Wang Xiyu at the Asian Games, and 217th-ranked Shi Han at the Wuhan Open.

Against Parry, Eala needed five break points to take the opening set before cruising in the second set of the WTA 500 tournament.

Eala raced to huge 4-0 lead in the second set to take control.

In the second round, Eala will face either No. 6 seed Diana Shnaider and Yulia Putintseva.

The Russian Shniader is currently ranked No. 13 in the world while Kazakhstani Putintseva is at No. 66.(CCM)