It has been tough clay season so far for the Pinay sensation.
On Tuesday, April 14 (Manila time), Alex Eala made her debut at the Stuttgart Open in Germany, a WTA 500 tournament.
Having exited the Upper Austria Ladies’ Linz Open last week after bowing to Jelana Ostapenko of Latvia jn the Round of 16, the Filipina player looked to perform better this time around.
Facing her on the opposite side of the net was Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, who coincidentally also has Filipino blood.
In the first set, it became instantly became unsettling for Eala, who despite the support from the crowd, was overwhelmed by her 23-year-old opponent who drew as much as 5-0, before the 20-year-old could muster putting up a point.
During the second set, there was a fire burning inside the rising tennis star, as she upped her ante to stand toe-to-toe with the the five-time WTA tournament winner.
But that rally came short of giving her a chance to enter a deciding third set, with the final scoreboard reading 6-1, 6-4.
Despite her early exit from Stuttgart, it would not be the last of Eala in the clay season. This, as she is already confirmed for the Mutua Madrid Open in Spain, which will begin next Tuesday, April 21.