Alex Eala is in for a tough matchup in the Round of 32 of the BNP Paribas Open as she will be taking on recent tormentor Coco Gauff. The two young tennis stars met previously at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships back in February, with Gauff coming out on top, 6-0, 6-2, in a commanding performance.
Now, the former doubles partners will meet again, and Alex Eala is expecting it to be another big challenge—only this time, the 20-year-old Quezon City native believes she will also be dealing with a pro-Coco Gauff hometown crowd, as the 21-year-old American is playing on home soil.
“It’s not my first big match. It’s definitely going to be tough,” said Eala. “Coco is an incredible player, and she’ll have the crowd behind her, especially playing at home. But it’s just like any other match. I had to dig deep today, and I know I’ll need to do even more in the next one. I’m ready and looking forward to it.”
Alex Eala to Bank on Learning Experience
Gauff is obviously a formidable challenge. The American is currently ranked No. 4 in the world, and her clinical dismantling of Alex Eala in Dubai more or less proved that the former is at a higher level than Eala at the moment.
Eala, who’s No. 32, knows as much, which is why she’s banking on taking the lessons she learned from that lopsided loss into her rematch with Gauff on Monday.
“It was a tough match, and Coco played really well,” Eala admitted. “All I can do is take the lessons from that match and apply them next time.”
While beating Gauff is a tall order, Eala can look to her win over Dayana Yastremska as fitting preparation for the rematch with the American. Yastremska, while not on the level of Gauff, mirrors the latter’s playing style to a degree: aggressive, powerful, and high risk. For a while, the Ukrainian looked headed for an upset as she imposed her will on the match. That Eala turned things around is proof that she can handle that punishing style.
Then again, Gauff is a totally different beast, and it will take a perfect game if Alex Eala wants to beat her.
Alex Eala Next Match
Alex Eala vs. Coco Gauff
Tournament: WTA 1000 BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells
Draw: Round of 32
Date and Time: Monday, March 9, 9:00 a.m. Philippine Standard Time (Start time is subject to change.)
