A big hurdle awaits Alex Eala in the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as she takes on world No. 4 Coco Gauff.
Alex Eala has nothing in mind but to keep the string of stellar victories going in Dubai.
Less than 24 hours since showing steely nerves against Sorana Cirstea, 7-5, 6-4, Eala will now be put to the test against USA’s Coco Gauff in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarterfinals Thursday, February 19 (PH time).
[RELATED STORY: Calm Eala bests Cirstea, appreciates Pinoy fans: 'Salamat sa pagpupuyat’]
Ranked No. 4, Gauff will be the second Top 10 player Eala faces in the said WTA 1000 tournament after dispatching of Italy’s Jasmine Paolini days prior.
The match between the the two tennisters, who teamed up in Rome last year, fires off at 11 pm at Center Court.
It will be aired live on Cignal via Premier Sports 2 (Ch. 273 HD). It also streams on the Cignal Play app.
“Coco is such an amazing person and we tend to forget that she’s just a year older than me,” Eala said.
“But she’s a great role model for so many. So I’m really excited for that match.”
[ALSO READ: Alex Eala takes on former doubles partner Coco Gauff in Dubai quarterfinal]
To set up the meeting with the charismatic Filipina, the reigning French Open champion rose from a set down to beat Belgium Elise Mertens, 2-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3.
Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.