NAGOYA-Alexandra ‘Alex’ Eala launches her quest for her first Asian Games gold medal against Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej in a Round of 16 on Monday at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
If the Women’s Tennis Association rankings are the basis, Eala, 21, is a clear favorite as world No. 18 over the Thai who’s No. 510 on top of having defeated the 31-year-old Thai, 6-3, 6-4, at the 2022 International Tennis Federation Thailand 05A event.
Eala, however, is coming off a disappointment in Singapore where she lost to world No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, in a WTA500 event only last week.
‘I think I have as big a chance as any other person on the draw [in the Asian Games],’ said Eala following her Singapore loss. ‘I think once you compete and, like I said, once you’re in the draw, you have a chance so I’ll do my best.’
Cheapchandej advanced to the second round following a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over Pakistan’s Mahin Aftab Qureshi.
Eala is aiming to build on her bronze medal from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and contribute to the Philippines’s gold tally, which currently stands at two following gymnastics star Carlos Yulo’s achievements.
She will team up with Shaira Hope Rivera in women’s doubles, opening against Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Laam and Kallista Liu.