By Ismael A. Amigo, Sr.
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala put her recent setbacks behind her, delivering a commanding performance to eliminate France’s Diane Parry, 6-3, 6-1, and march into the Round of 16 of the Ningbo Open in China on Monday.
The world No. 20 Filipina needed only 77 minutes to complete the straight-set victory, marking her first win after consecutive defeats in Singapore and Wuhan during the Asian swing.
Eala initially faced a competitive challenge from Parry, with the opening set tied at 3-3. But the Filipina raised her level at the crucial moment, stringing together three straight games to seize the first set.
She carried that momentum into the second, winning the first four games to establish firm control of the match. Parry managed to avoid a shutout in the set, but Eala quickly regained her footing and closed out the contest without allowing the Frenchwoman another game.
The Filipina’s superior consistency made the difference. She produced 12 winners and committed only nine unforced errors, compared with Parry’s 11 winners and 25 unforced errors.
The victory was a welcome response for Eala, who had struggled to find her rhythm in her previous tournaments following a demanding stretch on the international circuit.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Eala said after the match, describing the encounter as a tough opening-round test and acknowledging Parry’s strong season.
She also thanked the Filipino supporters in China for their continued encouragement, saying their presence made competing more enjoyable even during difficult moments.
Eala advances to the Round of 16 of the WTA 500 tournament, where she is set to face either Russia’s sixth-seeded Diana Shnaider or Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.
With renewed confidence and her timing back on track, the Filipina hopes to sustain her momentum and make a deeper run in Ningbo.
