Alex Eala is now on the final stretch of the three-week Rafael Nadal Academy World Tennis Tour and looks to make it far again in the women’s circuit.

The 15-year-old Eala will be facing Spain’s Ana Lantigua de la Nuez in the opening round of the women’s $15,000 tournament. (READ: Why Alex Eala’s ITF win should get Filipinos excited)

Though 20-year-old De la Nunez is unseeded in the tournament, she currently ranks No. 52 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) singles rankings and No. 619 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

The Filipina teen ace managed to crack into the top 1000 and nail her career-high WTA ranking of No. 942 in just two years of joining pro tournaments.

Eala has already proven that she has the talent and skills to pull off upsets within the women’s circuit.

She clinched her maiden pro title in the 1st leg after defeating 28-year-old home bet Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers on Sunday, January 24.

In the 1st leg, the Rafael Nadal Academy scholar also recorded key wins over ITF women’s singles No. 2 and the event’s top seed Seone Mendez in the 2nd round, and the tournament No. 5 Carole Monnet of France in the quarterfinals.

Though she failed to defend her title in the 2nd leg, Eala made it to the quarterfinals where she faced Swiss Ylena In-Albon, who did not drop a set until her straight-set loss to Cavalle-Reimers in the semis.

In Cavalle-Reimers’ 2nd straight finals appearance, the Spaniard fell to No. 1 seed Simona Waltert of Switzerland, who claimed the title.

After kicking off the 2020 season with her maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne, the 15-year-old tennis star became the Philippines’ first junior Grand Slam semifinalist in 35 years in the Roland Garros girls singles tournament. – Rappler.com