MANILA, Philippines — World No. 17 Jasmine Paolini described Alex Eala as “a star of our sport” ahead of their fourth-round showdown at Wimbledon Championships in London.
Paolini praised Eala’s impressive performances during the grass-court season and admired the overwhelming support the Filipino star has been receiving, saying it continues to inspire her in every match.
“She’s a great player. She has a good crowd with her. Now on the bridge they were like screaming, ‘Alex! Alex!’ It’s so good for our sport to get more people involved around the world. I think she’s a star of our sport,” Paolini said.
The Italian also admitted she expects a difficult challenge against Eala, especially with the crowd firmly behind the Filipina.
Paolini said she hopes plenty of Italian fans will also be at the match to cheer her on.
“It’s gonna be a tough battle. The crowd is going to be there every point, but that’s sports. I really enjoy playing in those kinds of situations. And hopefully, many Italians will be there as well,” she said. TMT
