PLAYING as a qualifying entry in a WTA 250 event, Alex Eala slipped past Aica Todoni of Romania 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 late Sunday night (Sunday afternoon in England) to enter the main draw of the Lexus Nottingham open at the Nottingham Tennis Centre in England.
Eala, who subdued Russian-born Varbara Gracheva of France 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the first qualifying round two days ago, took two hours and five minutes to eliminate Gracheva and advance to the opening round of the tournament located 205.9 kilometers from the British capital of London.
The pretty Filipino tennis sensation will take on sixth-seeded Magda Linette of Poland today as she continues with her preparations for the Wimbledon Open that will be held at the celebrated All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club starting on June 30.
Banking on her solid all-around play, Eala managed to survive the power-hitting Todoni, 24, a 2024 US Open women’s singles quarterfinalist ranked No. 87 in the world, who had 12 aces against zero for her foe.
From a 2-all deadlock in the first set, Eala won the next three games to open a 5-2 lead by breaking her foe in the seventh after one deuce.
Todoni broke back in the next game against Eala, who, however, clinched the set on another service break.
The Romanian fought on even terms with her fancied foe in the second set, tying the set at 6-all before emerging with a 7-4 decision in the tie-break to extend the match to a third set.
With her early setback in the Birmingham Lexus Open probably still fresh in her mind, Eala, however, buckled down to business in the third set, shattering a 2-all tie by clinching the next three games, highlighted by a service break in the seventh, for a commanding 5-2 edge.
Todoni responded by breaking back in the eighth, but this proved to be her last hurrah as Eala polished her off, breaking her rival at 15-40 in the ninth.
