Fresh off title run, Alex Eala earns swift win in Queen’s Club opener

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala’s hot start to the grass season continues.

Fresh from capturing her first WTA 125 title on grass, Eala plunged back to action and coasted to a 6-3, 6-2 win over China’s Zhang Shuai in the round of 32 of the Queen’s Club Championships in London, United Kingdom, on Tuesday, June 9 (Wednesday, June 10, Manila time).

The Filipina rode on the momentum of her title run in the Birmingham Open and made quick work of the Chinese qualifier in just 1 hour and 9 minutes.

Not even a slow start could rattle Eala as she rebounded from a 0-2 deficit and won six of the next seven games to take the first set. 

Climbing to No. 33 in the latest WTA rankings, Eala then built a 3-1 lead in the second set before finishing off the world No. 64 Chinese en route to her sixth straight victory on grass.

Despite Eala’s swift win, the 37-year-old Zhang is no pushover of an opponent, having won three WTA Tour titles and reaching a career-high No. 22 ranking.

A more fancied foe awaits Eala in the round of 16 as she faces her good friend and French Open tormentor Iva Jovic of the United States on Wednesday.

Seeded sixth, world No. 19 Jovic scored a 6-3, 6-4 win over Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic in the previous round to set up another duel with Eala.

Eala’s clay season came to a disappointing end at the hands of Jovic in the French Open as she absorbed a 6-4, 6-2 loss in the round of 128 in their first-ever WTA Tour encounter.

But the 21-year-old Filipina hopes to level her head-to-head record with Jovic now that they’re battling on grass. – Rappler.com