By now, the cat’s out of the bag: Alex Eala will begin her Australian Open journey against American Alycia Parks. And while not a household name, especially for casual fans, Parks could provide a massive challenge right away for the 20-year-old Filipina.
Who Is Alycia Parks?
Parks, an American, is currently ranked No. 100 in the WTA Rankings but is on a bit of a swoon, having lost three of her past five matches. She most recently competed at the ASB Classic, where she lost in straight sets to Elisabetta Cocciaretto. In contrast, Eala got all the way to the semis, where she fell to China’s Wang Xinyu.
Current form notwithstanding, Parks is certainly no pushover, as she is a young veteran who has already won a singles title on the WTA Tour—the Lyon Open in 2023—where the American beat highly regarded pros Petra Martić and Caroline Garcia on her way to the title.
The 25-year-old Florida native has also reached as high as No. 40 in the WTA Rankings, or nine spots higher than Alex Eala’s current career-high of No. 49.
What Should Alex Eala Watch Out For?
One thing that makes Parks such a formidable opponent for anyone is her big serve. The Floridian regularly smashes aces for easy points. Parks’ serve, in fact, can reach historic velocities, as she co-owns with tennis icon Venus Williams the fastest serve in US Open history at 129 mph.
Parks also has a powerful forehand, which she uses to great effect after her booming serves. That serve-and-forehand combination could prove particularly dangerous on a hard court—called “GreenSet”—that generally favors aggressive attacks and fast serves. This means Eala will have to be ready for that big serve if she is to break the American.
When Will Alex Eala and Alycia Parks Play?
Alex Eala, who is making her main draw debut at the Australian Open, will take on Alycia Parks on Sunday. The winner will face either World No. 19 Karolína Muchová or World No. 37 Jaqueline Cristian.
