World no. 73 Alex Eala is set to enter the Oeiras Open, a WTA 125 tournament in Portugal, as the top seed to kick off her clay season.
Rising Filipina tennis star Alex Eala is set to headline the Oeiras Open, a WTA 125 tournament, as the top seed, marking another major milestone in her career.
The 19-year-old sensation continues her breakout season on the clay courts of Centro Desportivo Nacional do Jamor, where the Oeiras Ladies Open is scheduled to run from April 14 to 20.
According to Sport TV Portugal’s Jose Morgado, Eala leads a competitive field that includes world no. 80 Katie Volynets (USA), no. 89 Elisabetta Cocciaretto (Italy), no. 91 Anna Bondar (Hungary), and no. 93 Viktorija Golubic (Switzerland).
Eala is set to compete in Portugal on the heels of her career-high WTA ranking of no. 73, earned after a stunning Cinderella run at the WTA 1000 Miami Open--where she beat three former Grand Slam champions within the WTA top 25 without dropping a set.
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Now, she looks to carry that momentum into her clay-court start this season at Oeiras, where a $168,100 prize pot is up for grabs across the 32-player singles and 16-team doubles draws.
The Oeiras Open, a relatively new addition to the WTA 125 calendar, saw Dutch player Suzan Lamens win the singles crown last year, while Portuguese sisters Francisca and Matilde Jorge captured the doubles title on home soil.
For Eala, the Oeiras Open is just the start of a pivotal clay swing. Up next will be the WTA 1000 Madrid Open (April 21 to May 4), followed by a historic first — her Grand Slam debut as a professional at the French Open, where she’s set to enter the main draw via direct invite.
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And she's no stranger to clay, having graduated from the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain.
With her form peaking and confidence soaring, Alex Eala’s clay campaign promises to be one to watch.
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[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]