Alex Eala looks to continue her strong run as she faces Hungary’s Panna Udvardy in the Round of 16 at the WTA Oeiras Ladies Open.
Filipina tennis star Alex Eala is moving full steam ahead at the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal, setting up a Round of 16 clash against Hungary’s Panna Udvardy on Thursday, April 17 (Manila time).
Eala, the tournament’s top seed, bounced back from a rain-delayed start to sweep Dutch opponent Anouk Koevermans, 6-3, 6-4, and secure her spot in the next round.
The 19-year-old Filipina, currently ranked No. 72 in the WTA, showed her growing comfort on clay as she eyes deeper runs this European season.
Now, Eala will shift her focus to Udvardy, a 25-year-old Hungarian ranked No. 137, who booked her place in the Round of 16 after dispatching the Netherlands' Lian Tran in straight sets.
The two have yet to cross paths on the professional stage, making this matchup an intriguing test of Eala’s consistency against an experienced clay-court player.
The Oeiras Ladies Open is Eala’s first clay-court event of the year, and part of her build-up to her Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland-Garros, where she was recently included in the women’s singles entry list.
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With momentum on her side, Eala will be looking to keep her title hopes alive when she meets Udvardy in their upcoming showdown later at 5:00 p.m. (Manila time).
(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]