MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of Filipino fans despite her early exit at the Qatar Open.
The 20-year-old tennis ace was eliminated in the round of 64 by Czech teen qualifier Tereza Valentova, 6(6)-7, 1-6, on Monday evening (Manila time).
Despite the loss, Eala remained in high spirits and took time to engage with her fans in Doha. “Immensely grateful for the people who continuously show up for me and the sport,” she said. “You all inspire me every day.”
Eala vowed to bounce back at the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships, which begin February 15. “Salamat mga Kababayan! Talo ngayon pero tuloy pa rin ang laban! Bawi tayo sa susunod (To my fellow Filipinos, thank you. We lost today, but the fight continues. We will bounce back next time),” she added.
Now ranked No. 40 in the world, Eala was coming off quarterfinal appearances at the Philippine Women’s Open and Abu Dhabi Open, where she fell to Colombia’s Camila Osorio and Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, respectively. She also teamed up with Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in doubles at Abu Dhabi, reaching the semifinals.
