MANILA, Philippines — Just three days after she won her first Women’s Tennis Association Tour title, Alex Eala dug deep into her arsenal to hurdle past Alycia Parks of the United States, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, on Thursday morning (Manila time) in the WTA 1000 National Bank Open at Sobeys Stadium Centre Court in Toronto, Canada.
World No. 20 Eala, the newly crowned Mubadala DC Open queen, exacted vengeance on No. 71 Parks after losing to her in the first round at the Australian Open, 6-0, 3-6, 2-6, last January.
The 21-year-old Filipina opened Thursday’s match in dominant fashion but the American came out strong in the second frame to tie the count after tallying 10 aces.
Eala, however, took advantage of Parks’ errors in the deciding frame as she finished the match with a 6-2 victory, sending the Filipinos at the crowd into a frenzy.
“There are so many Filipinos in the crowd tonight. So many [Philippine] flags,” Eala said, expressing her gratitude as she was surprised by the number of her countrymen who watched the match and chanted “Eala, Eala.”
“I am eternally grateful. I just came off Washington, and I feel that is a celebration. Alam niyo, ’yung linggo, linggo ko kayong nakikita at sinusuportahan niyo ako. Linggo-linggo ko rin nakikita kung gaano niyo mahal ang kapwa niyo Pinoy.”
(I am eternally grateful. I just came off Washington, and I feel that is a celebration. You know, every week I see you, and you support me. Every week I also see how much you love your fellow Filipinos).
