Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 10) – Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala clinched her second professional title in the International Tennis Federation W25 Chiang Rai tournament on Sunday in Thailand.
The 16-year-old Eala edged hometown bet Luksika Kumkhum in two straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, to hoist the trophy.
Eala won her first professional title in January 2021 during the ITF Rafael Nadal Academy World Tennis Tour in Manacor, Spain.
In Chiang Rai, Eala and Kumkhum were in a tight battle in the first eight games of the opening set as both displayed their expertise in service points and forehand serves.
After the Thai player tied the game at four apiece with an ace off a service game, Eala saved two break points in the ninth game to earn the crucial 5-4 lead.
Eala sealed the set victory in the 10th game after a double fault from Kumkhum.
In the second set, the Rafa Nadal Academy-trained Eala began to assert her experience as she clinched several good breaks to hold a 4-1 advantage.
The hometown bet bounced back in the sixth game with her strong aces, but the Filipino tennis wunderkind upgraded her service game in the seventh to put herself a set away from winning the crown.
The eighth game went down the wire as Eala committed a long forehand that allowed Kumkhum to save match point, but the Filipino responded with another forehand winner that sealed her victory.
Eala tallied a come-from-behind victory against Serbia’s Katarina Kozarov in the opening round and regained her dominant form in the second round by sweeping another Thai bet Patcharin Cheapchandej.
She then defeated Momoko Kobori of Japan in the quarterfinals and YeXin Ma of China in the semifinals, all in two straight sets.
The Thailand meet was a big boost to the campaign of Eala, who has been struggling with early exits in her tournaments this year.
Prior to the ITF Chiang Rai tournament, she made her main draw debut in the prestigious Miami Open as a wildcard. She lost in straight sets to world no. 59 Madison Brengle in the opening round.
Eala sits at the 533rd spot in the singles rankings of the Women’s Tennis Association world rankings.
