FILE– Tennis player Alex Eala. –ALEX EALA FACEBOOK
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala fended off Eva Guerrero Alvarez of Spain, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, in the round of 32 of the W25 Corroios Seixal in Portugal on Wednesday (Manila time).
The 17-year-old tennis star advanced to the second round against Alexandra Bozovic of Australia on Thursday.
Eala was also triumphant in the women’s doubles as she and Filipino-Australian partner Lizette Cabrera earned a walkover victory over Mariana Galvao Borges and Maria Beatrix Teixeira.
Eala and Cabrera battle Justina Mikulskyte and Hong Yi Cody Wong in the quarterfinals.
The Rafael Nadal Academy scholar is coming off a stint in the W25 Palma del Rio last week.
She absorbed a round of 16 exit in the women’s singles, losing to Jessika Ponchet of France, 6-2, 6-1.
The Filipino prodigy and Spanish partner Marina Bassols Ribera reached the Palma del Rio doubles semifinal but yielded to Russia’s Valeria Savinykh and Hungary’s Fanni Stollar, 6-2, 6-0.
Eala is eyeing her third pro singles title since W25 Chiang Rai last April. She is also hunting for her first doubles crown.