Alex Eala hopes to have one other triumphant scene in Recent York. —KEATS LONDON
Alex Eala will enter her second-round match within the US Open looking to jot down more history for the country with numerous things going for her.
She has momentum, the precise mentality to take her deep into the tournament, and the backing of a crowd that makes her feel at home.
“I don’t have a house tournament so to have the option to have this community here on the US Open. I’m so grateful that they made me feel like I’m home,” Eala said after her first-round 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) victory over Clara Tauson of Denmark early Monday morning (Manila time).
Her opponent, Spanish veteran Cristina Bucsa, will show up for the duel against Eala slated either late Wednesday evening or on Thursday (Manila time) hoping to shake off the results of a stomach illness.
“In the course of the warm-up, I didn’t feel well. I went to the locker room, showered, relaxed and tried to collect energy and strength for the match,” Bucsa told Spanish media outlet AS.com after beating American Claire Liu, 6-2, 6-1.
Bucsa flew into the tournament weighed down by “stomach problems” and practiced badly before facing Liu—and was surprised she stomped past the American with relative ease.
“I didn’t expect it to be like this, but fairly a tricky match, because she’s been playing here for 3 days, winning three matches, and I’ve won none. I used to be very surprised by her mentality and by her hunger to win ,” she said in Spanish. “It was very stressful; I won that match mentally,” Bucsa added.
Eala is trying to flash the identical grit she flaunted in her opening match, where she fought out of a 1-5 deficit to frustrate the world No. 15.
“Definitely hard to see that or to see the positives when, , you’re down 5-1, but that’s what I attempted to do,” the 20-year-old star said. “I attempted to see the positives, find solutions. And clearly, , with all these people backing me up, it’s hard not to remain within the moment and get their energy.”—FRANCIS T.J. OCHOA INQ