Alex Eala got her Miami Open return off to a great start after beating Laura Siegemund in Round of 64 action early Friday. But it was a tense, back-and-forth duel, one that the Filipina won 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-3 in a taxing 3-hour, 2-minute classic.
Postmatch, the 20-year-old admitted that the win was quite taxing—but also a reminder of how far she’s come in one year since she first burst onto the scene in last season’s Miami Open.
“It definitely was close. Very demanding physically and mentally, but those were one of my goals last year after my tournament, to improve physically, and here I am, fresh as a flower, so yeah,” Eala said with a smile in her on-court postmatch interview.
Balance Is Key for Alex Eala
Last year, when Alex Eala played in the Miami Open, she was ranked No. 140 in the world. A year later, the pride of the Philippines is No. 29, and she’s very much pleased with how she’s handling everything that has come with her rise from obscurity to stardom.
“I think I’m really pleased with how I’m handling everything as a whole,” Eala said. “A lot of things have changed for me, especially this year, this season, so I think I’m doing a good job of keeping that balance of being hungry, staying happy, and still working hard.”
Needless to say, working hard while staying hungry and happy has worked wonders for Eala, who also acknowledged how this return to Miami is something she is relishing.
“It means the world to me [returning to Miami], and it says a lot about my progress and how I’ve developed as a player and as a person,” said the Quezon City native. “I came into Miami last year as a wild card. Now, I’m in the third round again, so I’m really, really happy, especially having been able to compete at this level today against an amazing fighter, so I’m really happy.”
Tomorrow, Alex Eala will have a chance to advance a round further as she takes on familiar nemesis Magda Linette in the Round of 32. And while this matchup is sure to be as physically and mentally taxing, the good news is that the young Filipina icon will be fresh as a flower.
