Alex Eala dominated Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in their Round of 32 clash at the Eastbourne Open main draw, making it three straight wins on grass.
The Philippines’ Alex Eala flexed her might against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in the Eastbourne Open, scoring a dominant 6-0, 6-1, win in the Round of 32 on Monday (PH time).
Eala, who had to make her way through the qualifiers first, surged against the WTA no. 61 player after a sensational performance in set 1 to make it three straight wins on grass.
In set 2, the 20-year-old needed to fend off a desperate Bronzetti as she seized the 5-1 lead after four breakpoints in the game.
Eala’s game 6 win, which came after four deuces, seemed to dampen Bronzetti’s spirits as the Filipina rolled to victory.
The Rafa Nadal Academy scholar now finds herself in a situation where she may be headed for a clash against a familiar foe in Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who is on the same bracket. Eala beat the former Grand Slam champion during the Miami Open earlier this year.
Ostapenko is seeded 3rd in Eastbourne and will play Sonay Kartal in the Round of 32.
In their last meeting, Eala won over Ostapenko, 7-6(2), 7-5, which propelled her into a deep run in Miami — a tournament that leapfrogged Eala in the WTA rankings from the 140s to the Top 75.
Eala heads into the next round ranked world no. 74 in the latest edition of the WTA rankings.