Alex Eala set for pro Grand Slam debut in Australian Open
Alex Eala secures her spot in the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open in January
MANILA, Philippines – Big things are coming for Alex Eala next year.
The first on the list is the Australian Open in January as the Filipina tennis ace sees action in her first-ever professional Grand Slam tournament.
Eala secured her spot in the qualifying rounds, which will run from January 9 to 12 in Melbourne.
“Yes! I made the cut for the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open 2023 in Melbourne!” Eala wrote on Facebook. “This will be my first match ever in the pro-level of a Grand Slam.”
The 17-year-old is coming off a stellar year that saw her become the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles crown.
She beat second seed Lucie Havlickova of the Czech Republic in the US Open girls’ singles finals in September to achieve the feat.
Eala then reached the semifinals of the Internationaux Feminins de la Vienne in France in October, which marked her highest finish in an $80,000 event in the ITF pro circuit.
After wrapping up her season in November, Eala ended the year ranked No. 215 by the WTA, just a spot below her career-high ranking of No. 214. – Rappler.com