Alex Eala advances to quarterfinals at WTA Veneto Open

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Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala has secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA 125 Veneto Open after a convincing straight-sets victory over fellow 19-year-old Giorgia Pedone of Italy.

The Rafa Nadal Academy student triumphed with a score of 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted just over an hour.

Throughout the match, the Filipino athlete maintained a strong performance with a 54 percent win percentage on her first serve and a 50 percent win percentage on her second serve. During this round of 16 match, Eala seemed increasingly adept with her slices and drop shots which propelled her to claim both sets.

This victory follows her impressive start at the tournament, where she defeated Carole Monnet of France 6-3, 7-5 in the opening round.

Eala’s initial win against Monnet marked her first advancement to the second round of a professional tournament since late April.

She showcased her growing prowess on grass courts, expressing her satisfaction with the results by sharing on social media, “Feeling good on grass.”

In a separate Instagram post, she added, “Learning my way on the field.”

Eala’s successive victories at the Veneto Open are particularly significant as they represent her second and third career wins on grass, demonstrating her rapid adaptation to the surface.

The young athlete’s performance is gaining attention as she continues her campaign in the Wimbledon warm-up event, aiming for further success in the upcoming matches.

In May, Eala surged to a career-best world ranking of 157th from No. 160. Her impressive form was highlighted in Madrid, where she secured her biggest professional career win over world No. 41 Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine. This victory marked her first triumph against a top 50 player in a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event.

Earlier this year, Eala also claimed a doubles title at the ITF W50 Pune in India, partnering with singles rivalturned doubles partner Darja Semenistaja of Latvia.

This achievement added to her growing list of accolades and underscored her versatility and skill in both singles and doubles play.