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Filipina tennis star Alex Eala practices ahead of the Italian Open. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala practices ahead of the Italian Open.

Article (news)

Italian Open

Dyan Castillejo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17779924009691777985558185837.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipina tennis star Alex Eala practices ahead of the Italian Open. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/>Filipina tennis star Alex Eala practices ahead of the Italian Open. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- Filipina tennis star Alex Eala logged a one-hour and 15-minute practice session at the Tennis Club Parioli, hitting with Germany&#x27;s Laura Siegemund as part of her preparation for the Italian Open.With Eala on the court were coaches Joan Bosch and Lluc Bauza of the Rafael Nadal Academy.It was a quieter training session for Eala, away from the main venue and about 20 minutes from the Foro Italico, where the BNP Paribas Italian ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments are being held.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/5/4/alex-eala-to-play-poland-s-frech-in-first-round-of-italian-open-1942">READ: Alex Eala to play Poland&#x27;s Frech in first round of Italian Open </a></div>The Filipina tennis ace worked on her shots and movement as she prepared for her first-round opponent, Magdalena Fręch of Poland.Frech was on the next court, also sharpening her game for their first-ever encounter. Eala is currently ranked No. 42, while Frech sits at No. 45.Conditions in Rome—cloudy and overcast—bring a different challenge, affecting ball speed and overall pace.Eala looked explosive from both forehand and backhand groundstrokes at every opportunity. She also worked on drop shots and her serve.After the session with Siegemund, Eala stayed on court a few minutes longer with coach Bosch to fine-tune specific shots. Coach Bauza, her fitness coach, continues to work closely with her on mobility, strength, and stamina.Meanwhile, top players trained at the Foro Italico complex for the Italian Open.World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka had two separate sessions—one with her coach and another with Italy’s star Jasmine Paolini. The crowd was treated to their extreme power and variety of shots on the SuperTennis Arena.On Court Centrale, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic practiced with Eduardo Ruse, delivering incredible accuracy and intensity that thrilled spectators.Also exciting the crowd with high-level sessions were Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Zeynep Sönmez.

Alex Eala practiced off-site at the Tennis Club Parioli with a solid 1-hour and 15-minute training session, hitting with Germany’s Laura Siegemund as players headed to the red clay to practice for the Italian Open.

Alex Eala practiced off-site at the Tennis Club Parioli with a solid 1-hour and 15-minute training session, hitting with Germany’s Laura Siegemund as players headed to the red clay to practice for the Italian Open.

Tennis: Alex Eala practices with Germany’s Siegemund ahead of Italian Open campaign

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Tennis: Alex Eala practices with Germany’s Siegemund ahead of Italian Open campaign

Dyan Castillejo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 05, 2026 10:50 PM PHT

|

Updated May 06, 2026 09:53 AM PHT

Read More:

tennis

Alex Eala

Italian Open

Laura Siegemund

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