MANILA, Philippines –  After 3 months of non-stop training, playing and waiting, the time has come for Alex Eala to take a step closer to the 2018 Roland Garros Junior French Championships. (READ: Alex Eala on the rise in PH tennis)

Eala earned a wildcard in February from International Tennis Federation (ITF) board member and Fédération Française de Tennis (FF Tennis) president Bernard Giudicelli after he watched Eala win the Les Petits As final last January. 

“It is going to be my first ITF, so it’s cool. Really. It’s mind blowing because people work so hard to get there and I am given the opportunity,” Eala told Rappler. (WATCH: PH Junior tennis star Alex Eala bound for Roland-Garros)

The Filipina will be among the 6 wildcard bets who will play the qualifiers starting on Thursday, May 31 for a spot in the tournament itself that will begin on June 3

“I am expecting a whole ‘nother level because this is 18-under. It’s like the top 100 in the world for 18-under. I’m only 13, so I am expecting that the players are going to be really really good, so I have to be prepared for that,” added Eala. – Rappler.com