Julia Christine Botin

Article (news)

Dyan Castillejo

ABS-CBN News

Tennis analyst and podcast host Craig Shapiro believes rising Filipina star Alex Eala is beginning to find her rhythm on clay as she continues her campaign in the Italian Open in Rome.Speaking ahead of Eala’s second-round showdown against China’s Wang Xinyu, Shapiro praised the 20-year-old’s shotmaking ability and improving movement on the terra rossa surface.“The first time I ever really watched her close and tight to the court was in her first-round match,” said Shapiro, host of the Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast. “I really thought she played well at the back end of that set.”<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/5/7/alex-eala-finding-her-footing-on-clay-as-she-aims-to-advance-in-italian-open-1820">READ: Alex Eala finding her footing on clay as she aims to advance in Italian Open </a></div>Shapiro immediately noticed Eala’s aggressive baseline game, particularly her ability to generate pace from both sides. “She loves fast courts and loves to rip balls off both wings,” he said. “I think her racket head speed is quite noticeable.”The veteran analyst added that he was pleasantly surprised by Eala’s movement on clay, a surface that demands patience, balance, and controlled sliding.“I thought that her movement was better than I thought,” he said. “It felt like she was figuring out the clay as it was all happening.”Shapiro also highlighted Eala’s composure late in her opening-round victory, recalling how she handled pressure in the closing moments.“She played a really good final game to break serve and win that match,” he said. “That was a tight match.”Despite the encouraging signs, Shapiro expects another stern challenge against Wang amid Rome’s changing conditions.“I think it’s probably going to be another tight match unless she really finds her form,” he said. “The weather was shaky the first day. It got windy, then chilly, then warm. Maybe we’ll see what the quality of her tennis looks like based on the weather.”Shapiro noted that many players are still adjusting after the recently concluded Madrid Open, with some arriving fatigued and others still searching for their rhythm on clay.“It doesn’t feel like anyone’s really here ready to play yet,” he said. “The people that played well in Madrid are tired, and the people who weren’t in Madrid aren’t totally ready to go.”<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/5/6/tennis-alex-eala-outlasts-fr-ch-through-to-round-2-of-italian-open-1924">READ: Tennis: Alex Eala outlasts Fręch, through to round 2 of Italian Open </a></div>Still, he believes Eala is in an ideal environment to continue building momentum, especially with her next match set at the iconic Stadio Pietrangeli. “That’s kind of the people’s court,” Shapiro said. “That’s one of the most famous courts in the world.”He referenced legends such as Björn Borg and Chris Evert having competed on the historic venue, even calling it “the nicest court in the world.”Shapiro also expects strong Filipino support in the stands as Eala’s popularity continues to grow internationally.“There were Filipinos there yesterday,” he said with a laugh, before joking that tournament organizers may soon “need security” once more fans arrive for the weekend.Beyond her shotmaking, Shapiro pointed to Eala’s competitive fire as another dangerous trait.“She had a lot of ‘vamos,’” he said, referring to her emotional celebrations during matches. “And with having the Rafa people in her box… I think that’s quite intimidating for her opponents.”Eala has longstanding ties with the Rafael Nadal Academy, where she has trained for years under the system built by Rafael Nadal.

Tennis analyst and podcast host Craig Shapiro believes rising Filipina star Alex Eala is beginning to find her rhythm on clay as she continues her campaign in the Italian Open in Rome.

Tennis analyst and podcast host Craig Shapiro believes rising Filipina star Alex Eala is beginning to find her rhythm on clay as she continues her campaign in the Italian Open in Rome.

Tennis analyst Craig Shapiro expects another ‘tight match’ for Alex Eala in Italian Open

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Tennis analyst Craig Shapiro expects another ‘tight match’ for Alex Eala in Italian Open

Dyan Castillejo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 08, 2026 05:06 PM PHT

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tennis

Alex Eala

Italian Open

Craig Shapiro

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