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Tennis: Alex Eala routs Pakistani veteran in Asian Games debut

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Rosy Mina

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Use this instead: Filipina tennis star Alex Eala in action against Pakistan" s="" Sarah="" Ibrahim="" Khan="" in="" the="" Asian="" Games="" on="" September="" Eala="" won="" their="" POC-PSC="" media="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/09/25/09252023-filipina-tennis-star-alex-eala.jpg"/><figcaption>Use this instead: Filipina tennis star Alex Eala in action against Pakistan&#x27;s Sarah Ibrahim Khan in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on September 25, 2023. Eala won their match, 6-0, 6-0. <em>POC-PSC Media Pool</em>.</figcaption></figure></div><p>Fourth seed Alex Eala of the Philippines kicked off her maiden Asian Games campaign in Hangzhou, China with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Sarah Ibrahim Khan of Pakistan in the women’s singles second round on Monday.</p><p>Eala, who received a bye in the opening round, will face 13th seed Rutuja Bhosale of India or Aruzhan Sagandikova of Kazakhstan in the third round.</p><p>In the first match on Court 5 at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, the 18-year-old Eala zoomed to a 5-0 lead by quickly notching service holds and breaks of serve.</p><p>The four-time ITF women’s singles champion with three Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) bronze medals concluded the first set with a love hold, 6-0.</p><p>Khan, 32, managed to save two break points in the first game of the second set until her serve was broken for the fourth time.</p><p>At 1-0, Eala sailed to 4-0 via two love holds and one love break.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/25/23/alex-eala-starts-asiad-medal-bid-vs-pakistani-opponent">Alex Eala starts Asiad medal bid vs Pakistani opponent</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/23/23/alex-eala-draws-opening-round-bye-in-asiad-tennis">Alex Eala draws opening round bye in Asiad tennis</a></li></ul><p>She broke for the sixth time to serve for the win at 5-0, easily earned three match points, and prevailed at 6-0 with another love hold.</p><p>The 2022 US Open Juniors singles champion secured a total of four love holds and broke to love thrice.</p><p>The Filipino teen sensation had five aces, two double faults, and 48 total points won while the Pakistani veteran had three double faults and six total points won.</p><p>Eala, who reached a new career-high ranking of WTA World No. 190 this week, is the youngest among the Top 5 women’s seeds at the 19th edition of the Asiad.</p><p>China’s Qinwen Zheng and Lin Zhu are the Top 2 seeds, Ankita Raina of India is the third seed, and Na Lae Han of South Korea is the No. 5 seed.</p><p>Meanwhile, Eala will also see action in the mixed doubles event with fellow junior doubles grand slam champion Francis Casey Alcantara.</p><p>The No. 14 seeds will play against Sunira Thapa and Pranav Khanal of Nepal in the second round after both tandems received a bye.</p><p>On Sunday, two-time SEAG men’s doubles gold medalists and fourth seeds Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales lost in the first round to Thantub Suksumrarn and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul of Thailand, 6-4, 4-6, 5-10.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/24/23/gonzales-alcantara-halted-by-thais-in-tennis-doubles-opener">Asian Games: Gonzales, Alcantara halted by Thais in tennis doubles opener</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s-47kDJXW1g?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Alex Eala kicked off her maiden Asian Games campaign in Hangzhou, China with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Sarah Ibrahim Khan of Pakistan.