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.