FILIPINO tennis star Alex Eala began her campaign to reach the US Open women’s singles main draw yesterday with a rousing 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 win over Australian Maddison Ingils in the first of three qualifying matches at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.
After stamping her class in the first set, Eala was given a dose of her own medicine by the veteran Inglis, once ranked as high as No. 112 in the world, who won the first four games of the second on the way to tying the match at one-set all.
But the pretty Pinay southpaw took a firm grip of the deciding third set, displaying her all-around game in racing to a commanding 5-0 lead, allowing her rival to finally win the sixth game, before wrapping it up in the next after two hours and three minutes of play.
