Tennis princess Eala, spiker Carlos to be feted

BY MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS

AT A GLANCE

• Rising talent Alex Eala and star player Diana Mae ‘Tots’ Carlos will have a share of the spotlight in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night two weeks from now.

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Rising talent Alex Eala and star player Diana Mae ‘Tots’ Carlos will have a share of the spotlight in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Awards Night two weeks from now.

Alex Eala (left) and Tots Carlos (File photo/PVL Images)

Eala, 18, is going to be crowned Ms. Tennis, while Carlos, 25, will be hailed Ms. Volleyball during the formal affair set Jan. 29 at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

The two will be joined by June Mar Fajardo (Mr. Basketball) and Sarina Bolden (Ms. Football) as recipients of a special award from the country’s oldest media organization headed by its president Nelson Beltran, sports editor of The Philippine Star, for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields in 2023.

All four personalities form part of the huge 130-plus awardees who are included in the PSA honor roll.

Highlight of the event presented by ArenaPlus, the leading sports entertainment gateway in the Philippines, and the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, PLDT/Smart, and Cignal as major sponsors, is the bestowing of the prestigious Athlete of the Year Award to world no. 2 pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

Also backing the gala night are the Philippine Basketball Association, Premier Volleyball League, 1-Pacman Partylist Rep. Mikee Romero, and Rain or Shine.

A recipient of a Major Awards two years ago, Eala will be honored this time for a hectic year that saw the Filipina netter establishing herself as an emerging force in the sport by winning two ITF Circuit titles and barging in the Top 200 rankings in the world. 

At the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Eala ended a 61-year medal drought for Philippine tennis by winning the bronze in the women’s single event, and then teamed up with Francis Casey Alcantara for a podium finish in the mixed doubles.

Carlos meanwhile, distinguished herself as one of the best volleyball players in the country today by leading Creamline to the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) First All-Filipino Conference title opposite Petro Gazz in the absence of injured star Alyssa Valdez.

During the same tournament, the product of the University of the Philippines from Lubao, Pampanga was adjudged PVL MVP, marking the third time she won the league’s highest individual honor.

Before the end of 2023, Carlos also steered the Cool Smashers to the Second All-Filipino Conference championship where she was named Finals MVP following a two-game sweep of Choco Mucho before a record crowd of 24,459 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Alex Eala improves to career-high No. 195 in WTA rankings

BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The country’s top Filipino tennis player propelled 22 notches from No. 217 to a career-high No. 195 following her last two performances in Great Britain.

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Alex Eala continued her rise in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after breaching the Top 200 rankings this week.

Alex Eala is now one of the top 200 female tennis players in the world. (File Photo/Alex Eala Facebook)

The country’s top Filipino tennis player propelled 22 notches from No. 217 to a career-high No. 195 following her last two performances in Great Britain.

She claimed her fourth pro title at the W25 Roehampton before settling for the runner-up honors in W25 Aldershot.

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Now playing in the pros full time, the 18-year-old Eala hopes to add more trophies in her growing collection when she competes in the ITF Tour campaign in Japan and China starting next week.

She is also expected to carry the fight for the Philippine team in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China slated Sept. 23 to Oct. 8. 

Alex Eala continued her rise in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after breaching the Top 200 rankings this week.

Alex Eala, Polish partner book Aldershot quarters

BY NIKOLE JAVIER

Aug 17, 2023 11:31 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The 18-year-old seemed to be hardly feeling the fatigue after tirelessly flexing her might in the singles and doubles events for twin victories on the same day.

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Fresh from winning her fourth pro title, Filipina tennis star Alex Eala scored twin victories in singles and doubles for a smashing start in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) W25 Aldershot GB Pro Series on Wednesday night, Aug. 16 (Manila time), at the Aldershot Tennis Centre in Great Britain. 

The 18-year-old seemed to be hardly feeling the fatigue after tirelessly flexing her might in the singles and doubles events for twin victories on the same day.

Eala advanced to the Round of 16 at the expense of hometown bet Ranah Akua Stoiber, 6-2, 6-4, then teamed up with Urzula Radwanska of Poland to beat Andre Lukosiute of Lithuania and Eliz Maloney of Great Britain, 6-4, 6-4, and secure a quarterfinals berth. 

 

 

Alex Eala and partner Urzula Radwanska of Poland. (Alex Eala's Facebook)

 

"Two good wins today! Had a lot of fun in both matches, going through to the next round in singles and semifinals in doubles tomorrow," said Eala on a Facebook post.  

The Filipina-Polish duo encountered a slight hiccup in their chemistry after dropping serve four times along with four doubles faults before eventually finding rhythm en route to the victory that took an hour and a half. 

However, the 2022 US Open girls champion and 32-year-old veteran Radwanska will need to play with more cohesion as they take on Japanese duo Erina Hayashi and Saki Imamura in the quarterfinals. 

The Filipina bet is also on a quest for back-to-back singles titles after clinching the W25 Roehampton crown on Sunday, Aug. 13 (Manila time). 

Similarly, Eala also barged into the quarterfinals of the event's doubles competition with Australian partner Destanee Aiava, where they succumbed to Aussie pair Petra Hule and Talia Gibson, 1-6, 5-7.  

Interestingly, Eala is no stranger to her upcoming opponent in the singles event of the W25 Aldershot as she arranged another meeting with Gibson also on Thursday, Aug. 17 (Manila time) for a quarterfinals seat. 

Alex Eala to face German rival in first round of Madrid Open

 BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA-VILLAR

Apr 24, 2023 02:14 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The 17-year-old Eala drew with world No. 71 Tatjana Maria in the opening round of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event where some of the best tennis players around the globe are competing for the crown.

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Alex Eala will face a more experienced German foe when the 2023 Matua Madrid Open fires off Tuesday, April 25, at the claycourts in Madrid, Spain.

Alex Eala earns a wildcard ticket in the main draw of the Madrid Open. (File Photo/Alex Eala's Facebook page)

The 17-year-old Eala drew with world No. 71 Tatjana Maria in the opening round of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event where some of the best tennis players around the globe are competing for the crown.

Eala, who won last year’s US Open Girls Singles title, earned a wildcard berth in the main draw round that has top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland, Great Britain’s No. 1 player Emma Raducano, and this year’s Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, to name a few.

However, this wouldn’t be the first time that Eala would be battling the 35-year-old Maria, who holds three WTA singles titles.

Eala and Maria actually clashed against each other late in January at the Hua Hin Thailand Open, where the Filipino bet bowed to the sixth-seeded German, 6-2, 6-2, in the first round.

Maria eventually went on to finish in the quarterfinals.

While Eala has been unsuccessful in her title bid so far this year, Maria boasts of ruling the Copa Colanitas in Bogota, Colombia early this month.

Eala hopes to make an impact in her second appearance in this tournament after also earning a wildcard entry but losing in her first qualifying match last year.

Alex Eala downs Belarusian foe, enters main draw of Thailand Open

by Manila Bulletin Sports

By NIKOLE JAVIER 

Alex Eala outlasted Kristine Dmitruk of Belarus, 6-2, 7-5, to barge into the main draw of the Thailand Open on Sunday, Jan. 29, at the True Arena in Hua Hin.

Alex Eala needed to win two matches to enter the Thailand Open main draw round. (From Thailand Open Facebook page)

The reigning US Open Girls champion started on right footing, similar to her first-round win against Chinese foe Xinyu Han the day prior and gained an early 6-2 advantage to keep herself cushioned going into the next set. 

However, the ninth-seeded Dmitruk got over her scrappy start and eased into the second set  after surging into a 5-4 lead and even looked poised to force the decider. 

But right before the Belarusian could completely blindside the 17-year-old Filipina, Eala tied the score at 5-all and broke Dmirtuk’s serve for the 6-5 lead and ultimately complete her victory after one hour and 19 minutes.

With the victory, Eala has arranged a first-round main draw meeting with sixth seed Tatjana Maria of Germany.

The 35-year-old Maria is currently ranked 71st in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and boasts of a semifinal finish at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.

Alex Eala wins first qualifying round match in Canberra tourney

by Kristel Satumbaga-Villar, MB

Alex Eala started the year with a bang after a straight set victory in the first round qualifying of the W60 Canberra International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Australia Sunday, Jan. 1.

Alex Eala starts her year with a bang with a first-round qualifying win in Canberra. (From Alex Eala’s Facebook page)

The 17-year-old junior tennis sensation survived a shaky second set and prevailed over Mexico’s Marcela Zacarias, 6-3, 7-6 (0), to jumpstart her campaign. 

The triumph set her up a meeting with the winner between wildcard bet Catherine Aulia and Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva.

Interestingly, Selekhmeteva was Eala’s partner when she won the 2021 French Open Girls Doubles title.

“Hello 2023! Starting off the new year with a good win!” Eala wrote on her social media.

Eala is upbeat on this year’s season after making the cut in the qualifying rounds of the 2023 Australian Open late this month.

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This would be her first match in the pro level of a Grand Slam.

Alex Eala makes history, captures US Open Girls title

by Kristel Satumbaga-Villar, Manila Bulletin

Alex Eala delivered a performance of a lifetime after routing Czech Republic’s Lucie Havlickova, 6-2, 6-4, to clinch her first US Open Girls Singles title in Flushing Meadows Saturday, Sept. 10 (early Sunday in Manila).

Alexandra Eala of Philippines celebrates after defeating Lucie Havlickova of Czech Republic during their Junior Girl’s Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 10, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (AFP)

It was a historic victory for the 17-year-old junior tennis sensation, as she became the first Filipino to ever win a Grand Slam crown.

She only made it as far as the semifinals in the 2020 French Open, and previously claimed titles in the Girls Doubles – at the 2020 Australian Open with Indonesian Priska Nugroho and the 2021 French Open with Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva.

It was her time to shine this time.

So impressive was her journey to the top where she did not drop a set throughout the tournament with only Australia’s Taylah Preston and Canada’s Victoria Mboko forcing her to a tiebreaker.

“Buong puso ko po itong pinaglaban hindi lang para sa sarili ko kundi para makatulong din ako sa kinabukasan ng Philippine tennis,” Eala said during the on-court interview.

Seeded 10th in the tournament, Eala dictated the pace in the opening set by breaking her second-seeded opponent’s serve twice.

The Filipina ace encountered stiff competition in the second frame where she trailed 3-2 and 4-3, but was able to hold serve in the eighth game to tie it at 4-4.

A huge service break for Eala gave her the crucial 5-4 lead before closing the match with crisp serves and huge shots.

“It was overwhelming for me right now, but it’s a huge step for me personally. I’m just happy to be able to contribute and inspire the young generation,” said Eala during the post-match interview.

En route to the final, Eala crushed Canadian Annabelle Xu in the first round, 6-3, 6-0; Slovakian Nina Vargova in the second round, 6-2, 6-3; eighth-seeded Preston in the third, 6-2, 7-6 (1); Russian 14th seed Mirra Andreeva in the quarters, 6-4, 6-0; and ninth-seeded Canadian Mboko in the semis, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

She also competed in the Girls Doubles with Andreeva where they were seeded fourth but managed only in the second round after they handed a walkover to Germans Carolina Kuhl and Ella Seidel.