Alex Eala faces setback in return at ITF W75 Zagreb

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Win some, lose some.

Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala faced a challenging return to competition, narrowly losing to Croatia’s Tena Lukas in the first round of the ITF W75 Zagreb in Croatia.

The match, which lasted nearly three hours, ended with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-3, 4-6 in favor of Lukas, who is currently ranked 234th in the world.

Despite dropping the first set, the 18-year-old fought back in the second, showcasing her resilience and skill to level the match. The final set saw both players going toe-to-toe, but Lukas managed to clinch a crucial break point in the ninth game, ultimately securing her victory and moving to the next round.

The tennis prodigy, currently ranked 162nd, had just come off a two-week rest and entered the tournament as the sixth seed. The match marked the Rafa Nadal Academy student’s return to the court following her remarkable performance at the Madrid Open last month, where she achieved her biggest career win by defeating world No. 41 Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.

That victory, described as “the biggest match of her career,” highlighted the Filipino paddler’s potential and determination, as in the second round of the Madrid Open, she had an intense showdown against world No. 30 Sorana Cirstea, absorbing a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7 (8), 6-4 loss.

Next up for Eala are the French Open qualifiers, set to start on Monday, May 20. The young Filipina will look to build on her recent successes and continue her ascent in the competitive world of professional tennis as she continues to climb the ladder.

In a recent sponsored Instagram post, she shared her humble beginnings in the sports scene with her brother, Miko Eala, who recently graduated, writing, “In the years that passed, I like to think that our achievements have significantly impacted the Philippine tennis community for the better.”

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A post shared by Alexandra Eala (@alex.eala)

“Kaya game na! No better time than now to pick up a racket, or start competing, lalo na ngayon na patuloy ang pagsikat ng mga racket sports,” she ended.