CLOSING THE GAP
Following her exit in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Alex Eala was quick to acknowledge the harsh reality that she still has a long way to go before consistently beating the world’s best.
After a 6-0, 6-2 loss to Coco Gauff in the tournament’s quarterfinals, Eala admitted she is fully aware of the gap between her and global juggernauts like Gauff.
Fortunately, she now has time for some much-needed reflection to try and bridge that gap.
“I think I have time now for reassessment, regrouping and taking a small break to build again,” she said.
“That’s one of the things that can bridge the gap between myself and those Top 5 players.”
It’s not the only thing working for her.
Media reports from Dubai cited the fact that she could have several chances to improve her skills in real-match settings after tournaments have reportedly been eyeing her for wild card berths in events where she isn’t an automatic qualifier to the main draw.
The reason? Her following.
With Filipino fans turning up in droves for her matches, organizers have not only adjusted through scheduling—Eala has been a regular at center court ever since the Australian Open was criticized for holding her singles match on a small court.
The cowinner of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year, alongside gymnast Carlos Yulo, has packed tournament venues that organizers are willing to offer her outright berths to drive up ticket sales, reports said.
In the Dubai event, Filipinos filled seats to the brim that even Gauff acknowledged how Eala has brought a significant change to the sport.
“I’d like to thank Alex for bringing a new demographic to the sport. I really appreciate it. I think it’s great,” Gauff said. “I know sometimes it’s tough when you’re playing against a home crowd. But I think that it’s great for the sport. So keep being enthusiastic and keep rooting for your player.”
Symbiosis
That symbiosis between Eala and her fans is expected to grow stronger once the Filipino star narrows the gap between her and the top talents in her sport.
Gauff is currently the world’s fourth-ranked women’s player. Eala, on the other hand, sits at No. 47.
This early, taking down giants hasn’t been an impossible task for the Rafael Nadal Academy product.
Last year, she stunned Iga Swiatek at the Miami Open, where she went on a run of wins against Grand Slam winners.
Her popularity has seen her show up for several events this year and that strenuous run—along with her stint in the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open—took a toll and it showed in Dubai.
“I’ve been on the road, competing week after week this year. Physically, I can reassess my state, try to build more on injury prevention and I hope it reflects in my games,” she said.
Eala will have roughly two weeks to relax, recuperate and regroup before flying to the United States next month for the Indian Wells Open, where she will again attempt to inch closer to the top of the women’s rankings.
******
Get real-time news updates: inqnews.net/inqviber
