Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala overcame a tough opening challenge from Katarzyna Kawa of Poland, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, in their rain-delayed round of 32 match at the WTA 125 Suzhou Open on Tuesday in China.
Rain suspended play for a few hours in the first set with the score knotted at 2-2 but that didn’t stop Eala from getting the headstart when the match resumed.
Eala’s hard-earned victory came just days after she fell to Lulu Sun of New Zealand in the semifinals of the Jingshan Tennis Open.
The 20-year-old Eala, seeded fourth in the tournament, advanced to face Greet Minnen in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
Minnen, 28, swept China’s Shi Han, 6-4, 6-0, in her opening match.
It’s been a hectic September for Eala, which began with a maiden WTA title win at the Guadalajara 125 Open.
The World No. 58 Eala then suffered a quarterfinal exit at the Sao Paolo Open before bowing out in the Jingshan Open semifinal on Saturday.