Eala set for US campaign, visits Nike headquarters

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala on Friday arrived in the United States for two massive tournaments that could catapult her to the world’s Top 30 for the first time ever.

It’s an early touchdown for the 20-year-old Filipina in a bid to prepare better and longer for the Indian Wells Open (BNP Paribas) from March 4-15 and the Miami Open on March 17-29, both WTA1000 tournaments as The Tour shifts to the West.

Eala is on the heels of a productive stop in the East, scoring all but one playoff finishes in Oceania and Asia highlighted by a Last 8 stint in the prestigious WTA1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships last week.

She also impressed in the WTA250 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand (semifinals), WTA125 Philippine Women's Open (quarterfinals) and the WTA500 Abu Dhabi Open, where she reached the singles quarterfinals and doubles semifinals with Indonesian partner Janice Tjen (WTA No. 36).

The lone early exit for Eala, who also bagged the exhibition title in the Kooyong Classic and debuted in the Australian Open main draw in Melbourne, so far was in Round 1 of the WTA1000 Qatar Open.

Her solid run catapulted her to No. 31 in the WTA rankings with 1432 points (+215) from No. 47 last week as one of the greatest movers among all players with a 16-rung improvement, setting the stage to move closer to tennis greats given another strong showing in California and Miami.

Before plunging back to action though, Eala swung by the Nike World Headquarters in Oregon, where she was welcomed with a cavalry and fitting present including her own portraits.

“History in full bloom,” stated one of the portraits along the legendary tunnel featuring other Nike global ambassadors across all sports, where Eala posed with a big smile and a peace sign.

Also enshrined in the tunnel is Eala’s selfie with Filipino fans, underscoring her fast-growing global stardom with packed stadiums every tournament so far this year, especially in Oceania and the Middle East.

Eala also mirrored the biggest portrait on display, with both hands on her face in disbelief and tears after barging into the Final Four of the Miami Open last year.

Her magical run in the Miami Open, where she came all the way from the qualifiers as a wildcard before slaying Top-10 players and Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek of Poland, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and home bet Madison Keys, shattered the gates wide open for her now unstoppable international rise.

Eala broke into the Top 100 for the first time after Miami, thus qualifying in all 1000-level tours and Slam main draws, before making it to the Top 50 late last year, Top 40 this month then at No. 31.

With a bigger legion of fans behind this time around, Eala is out to replicate or even surpass the feat to climb upper in the world tennis echelon.

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