Alex Eala sets up Jingshan Open duel with Japanese ace

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Alex Eala is looking to continue her tremendous Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) campaign when she clashes with Japan’s Mei Yamaguchi in the Round of 16 stage of the ongoing Jingshan Open in Hubei, China.

After an impressive first-round win over Aliona Falei of Belarus, Eala aims to pick up where she left off against Yamaguchi to book an early quarterfinal ticket.

If Eala surpasses the Yamaguchi test, she will complete a hat trick of quarterfinal qualifications following favorable results in Brazil and Mexico.

The 20-year-old is coming off a Top 8 finish in the São Paulo Open before making history in her Guadalajara stint by winning her first-ever WTA championship title.

Eala will have a tough task at hand as the Japanese bet is also fresh off a sweeping first-round victory over Cody Wong, 6-4, 6-1.

Both players share contrasting styles, with Eala opting to dictate the pace of the match with her heavy groundstrokes while Yamaguchi sets the tone with her efficient service possessions.

Two days ago, Eala handed Falei a 2-0 loss, capitalizing on her early double-fault errors and sloppy first-ball returns.

Eala capped off her victory with 80 total points won, including six break points, a 54% winning percentage on first serve, and 41 markers on return.

On the other hand, Yamaguchi played at a slower pace in her match against Wong but inflicted damage as the game progressed with her clinical and tactical approach.

Yamaguchi’s ability to break serve also stood out, breaking Wong’s serve five times to complete a 35-point service performance.

Awaiting them in the other bracket for the semifinal round is either Chinese bet Jia-Jing Lu or India’s Riya Bhatia, who are set to square off for a spot in the Final Four.