By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Alex Eala is still riding her hot performance from their championship run in the 2021 French Open juniors’ doubles after clinching a victory in the women’s $25,000 tournament in Madrid, Spain.
The prized Filipina netter formed a formidable duo with International Tennis Federation (ITF) girls’ world No. 1 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva and took down American Robin Anderson and Bulgaria’s Isabelle Shinikova, 6-3, 7-6 in the opening round.
Two days after raising the championship trophy at Roland Garros, Eala immediately buckled up and went to work in Spain.
It was not the desirable start for the Eala-Kasintseva tandem as both looked flat early in the first set after absorbing a huge service break.
Anderson’s on-point net game made it hard for Eala to capitalize on her huge forehand cross-court signature shot as it was always picked up by the slashing netter.
However, things began to shift for Eala and the ITF girls’ world No. 1 as they quickly caught fire and regained the momentum in the middle part.
Eala’s baseline game then came alive and the pair just avalanched their way to a dominating opening- round victory.
Kasintseva then provided the finishing touches and cleaned the net area with her superb reflexes and defense.
