Alycia Parks shocked Alexandra Eala by producing a stellar comeback to knock the Filipina star out of the Australian Open first round.
Eala took the first set 6-0, but the American fought back to take the next two sets and set up a second round match with Karolina Muchova.
The Filipina was expected to produce a deep run at her very first Australian Open, but now she will just compete in the doubles event.
Eala was full of praise for the raucous Filipino crowd on court number six and now Parks has offered her opinion.
Alycia Parks says Alexandra Eala’s fans were ‘difficult’ but not the ‘worst’
Thousands flocked to Eala’s match with Parks, with several queuing for hours to get inside to see the 20-year-old star.
Parks had her back against the wall for much of the match, and there were very few in attendance in support of her.
Speaking after the match, Parks described the atmosphere as “Very difficult.”
“It was like, I was expecting it, but I wasn’t. She definitely has a good crowd. I was just telling myself to stay in the zone and that I got to do what I got to do.”
Does anybody else even come close to Alex Eala’s popularity right now?
However, Parks believes that she has played in front of far more partisan crowds at other Grand Slams events.
“It definitely wasn’t the worst. But in between first and second serves and the clapping when you miss, that’s just something I had to ignore and get used to the whole match.
”Having played in similarly partisan environments at Roland Garros, Parks credited that experience with what ultimately got her over the finish line.
“I don’t know what my record is with crowds that are against me, but it definitely puts a fire under me! I would say I’m good when crowds are against me.”
Alycia Parks now has the chance to change history at the Australian Open
Parks made a subtle nod to her time in front of a partisan crowd at Roland Garros, which came at the 2025 event.
The American took part in a feisty affair against hometown favourite Elsa Jacquemot, who had received a wild card.
Much like her match with Eala, Parks lost the first set and managed to find a way to level it in the following set.
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However, Parks was then beaten by Jacquemot, much to the delight of the Paris crowd on Suzanne Lenglen.
Parks has not only managed to tweak history by overcoming a fan favourite at the Australian Open, but there is another coincidental wrinkle too.
The player Parks defeated in the first round of Roland Garros was Muchova, who she will now face in the second round of the Australian Open.
