FILE– Philippines’ Alex Eala poses along with her bronze medal throughout the 2022 Asian Video games medal ceremony. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
MANILA, Philippines — After one other stellar 12 months, Alex Eala hopes to affix all Grand Slam tournaments in 2024 however she stays targeted on her short-term objective which is seeing motion anew within the Australian Open in January.
“I’m attempting to take a look at short-term eh so ngayon, I’m getting ready for Australian Open 2024. I’ll be becoming a member of the qualifying, that’s on January 8,” stated Eala, who spent the Holidays in Manila.
“That’s my large focus proper now. And hopefully subsequent 12 months, my objective is to affix all 4 Grand Slams,” she added.
Eala, the primary Filipino to win a Grand Slam singles title within the US Open ladies, suffered an early exit within the Australian Open qualifying rounds earlier this 12 months, dropping to Japan’s Misaki Doi, absorbing a 6-4, 6-7 (1-7), 3-6, within the first spherical to fail to succeed in the principle draw.
The 18-year-old Filipino admitted that she struggled to start out the 12 months earlier than discovering her groove halfway via 2023, successful back-to-back Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF) titles in W25 Yecla final June and incomes her fourth professional crown in W25 Roehampton adopted by a runner-up end in W25 Aldershot.
Eala ended her season with one other runner-up end within the W40 Petange.
“I feel that the 12 months had plenty of ups and downs, particularly within the first half. It was a bit arduous for me. I feel I had some powerful moments throughout that point, however I’m pleased about how I used to be in a position to flip it round within the second half,” she stated.
“I feel I actually blossomed and grew throughout that second half and I used to be in a position to deliver out a few of my finest outcomes and finest tennis.”
For the Rafael Nadal Academy graduate, the spotlight of her 2023 was the Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China.
Memorable Asian Video games stint
Alex Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara deliver the Philippines to the blended doubles podium. –JUNE NAVARRO/INQUIRER SPORTS
Eala earned a bronze medal within the ladies’s singles event and bought one other within the blended doubles with associate Francis Alcantara.
“I’ve to say Asian Video games talaga ‘yung standout. Iba kasi siya sa ibang tournaments na normally kong sinasalihan na ‘yun nga, it’s a group (occasion),” stated Eala, who ended the 12 months as rank No. 190 within the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation. “After all, I at all times signify the nation in my worldwide tournaments however it’s totally different to have the ability to put on it and to have the ability to be in an surroundings with all these athletes.”
“It was my first Asian Video games so I had new experiences not simply on the court docket but additionally off the court docket. I used to be in a position to join with different Filipino athletes and listen to their tales and in addition take notes about what they do, their routines. So I feel that complete week, typically, helped so much in my development as an athlete,” she added.
Eala’s coach Daniel Gomez was happy with the progress of his participant after “taking part in on the highest stage” to finish the 12 months.
Gomez seeks to proceed to construct on Eala as a “very instinctive participant” and her consistency and aggressiveness to realize their objective subsequent 12 months.
“We’ve to essentially deal with staying within the current, within the subsequent level. She bought very mature this 12 months. It was the primary 12 months she performed a full 12 months within the skilled (stage). I feel it helped so much along with her mentality to focus step-by-step and maintain affected person and that’s what I feel is gonna be a long-term course of,” the coach stated.
As she continues to develop as a professional tennis participant, Eala’s Christmas want is for Philippine tennis to maintain reaching larger heights, hoping for extra help for different Filipino netters.
“Hopefully, my Christmas want for tennis particularly is that an increasing number of folks will get into the game and an increasing number of folks will observe the opposite tennis gamers,” stated Eala, who was a part of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) historic crowd throughout the Sport 2 of the All-Filipino finals between Creamline and Choco Mucho.
“I feel that the spirit of the game of tennis shall be reignited. I feel that an increasing number of folks will begin to get into the game. Really, lots of people got here to me these previous few weeks telling me that they began tennis or their youngsters have began tennis due to me.”
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“These are feedback that I actually admire and actually heat my coronary heart since you’re not fascinated with that whenever you’re on-court, however it’s good to see that folks additionally admire and there’s an affect that you simply give to the group,” she added.