Filipina teen sensation punches ticket to US Open juniors

By: Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The fact that Philippine tennis star Alex Eala qualified for the US Open Juniors is already an achievement of a lifetime.

All the training and sacrifices paid off big-time as the Rafael Nadal Academy scholar shocked the world, upsetting heavyweights in the tourney.

The 14-year-old Eala knocked out world number 57 Romana Cisovska of Slovakia with a drubbing 6-3, 6-0, straight sets outing to advance to the main draw of the tournament.

With the stint, Eala was the first Filipino to qualify for a Grand slam tournament since Jeson Patrombon way back 1991.

Last year, Eala was very close to qualifying in the Roland Garros Junior French Championship but took a beating to American stalwart Peyton Stearns, 6-2, 6-4.

Eala and her camp are currently on a roll, with the latter recently powering the Philippine girls’ team to their highest finish in history at fifth place in the World Juniors Tennis Championships.