Alexandra Eala has continued her fine form in Brazil following a landmark victory in Mexico last week.
The 20-year-old Filipino won her first WTA title at the Guadalajara Open, and has followed up the achievement by winning her opening match at the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil.
Eala, seeded third at the tournament, demolished her first-round opponent, defeating French qualifier Yasmine Mansouri 6-0 6-2.
The nature of her victory is not a surprise when considering the 20-year-old’s recent form: a period that has included a maiden Grand Slam victory at the US Open.
It was simply a stunning performance by Eala, one that should be commended.
After the match, Eala noted her good performance, while also expressing shock regarding another factor at play during the match.
Alexandra Eala was shocked by the number of people who watched her play at the Sao Paulo Open
Eala, a product of the Rafa Nadal Academy, expressed her surprise at seeing so many fans take to the stands for her match against Mansouri.
However, the 20-year-old did acknowledge that the scheduling of her match may have played a role in the number of fans present for her match.
Speaking on court after her victory, Eala said: “This is my first time in Brazil and my first time in South America, actually, so I’m so happy to see that the crowd is so lively.
“I didn’t expect so many people to come out and watch me play.
“I guess I was a bit lucky to be sandwiched in between two great Brazilians, so I’m just happy to be here and to be able to play well.”
Eala is scheduled to play Julia Riera in the round of 16, before a potential quarter-final match against Indonesian youngster Janice Tjen.
Alexandra Eala’s superb performance
Alexandra Eala’s outstanding performance against Yasmine Mansouri is reflected wholeheartedly when delving into the statistics.
Aside from four double faults, the Filipino starlet barely put a foot wrong, saving all four of Mansouri’s break-point opportunities and winning a remarkable 60 per cent of her second serve points.
Eala engineered 10 break-point opportunities on the Mansouri serve, converting five, while also winning 81 per cent of all points on her opponent’s second serve.
If Eala can continue to perform at this high level, she will pose a threat against anyone she faces, including the top two seeds: Beatriz Haddad Maia and Solana Sierra.
