THE lack of active competition has had a continuous adverse effect on the world rankings of Filipina tennis heroine Alex Eala, who has slipped two rungs to No. 70 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association ratings released yesterday (Monday in Europe).
Since bowing out in the first round to Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 at the National Bank Open by Rogers in Montreal, Canada late last month, Eala, 20, has been sidelined by an aching left shoulder.
She skipped the last WTA 1000 tournament, the Cincinnati Open, and the Abierto Seguros GNP tourney, a WTA 500 meet, which were supposed to serve as her build-up for the 145th US Open starting this Sunday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Eala’s social media account showed her returning to her home base at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, to recover and practice before making her maiden appearance in the main draw of the fourth and last tennis Grand Slam.
After appearing on the cover of Vogue last month, the lovely left-hander merited another cover feature, this time on the venerable American lifestyle magazine Town and Country, written no less by its senior news editor Emily Burack, which was posted yesterday on its website.
Serving as a role model and inspiration for 115 million Filipinos back home and the first Filipina netter to make it big on the world stage, “doesn’t faze her,” Burack wrote.
“It’s hard to realize I’m the first,” she was quoted as saying. “It’s so nice to see that I’m able to pave the way, and I’m able to expose the Philippines to this international stage. It’s such a big part of who I am.
“Heading into the US Open, she’s particularly excited about playing in New York,” the story said.
“Eala has no home tournament, but the Filipino diaspora in New York City makes the Open feel like home. One day, she hopes she’ll be able to play in the Philippines,” it added.
“The only thing I can give back to my country is to inspire,” Eala said.
