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Alex Eala gets qualifying slot in 2024 Australian Open

Sports

Alex Eala gets qualifying slot in 2024 Australian Open

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

At A Glance

Alex Eala hopes to make an early impact at the start of the season next year after being included in the qualifying entry list of the 2024 Australian Open.

Alex Eala hopes to make an early impact at the start of the season next year after being included in the qualifying entry list of the 2024 Australian Open.

In an updated list as of Wednesday, Dec. 27, the 18-year-old Eala has been included in the qualifying field that is bannered by 2021 US Open Champion Emma Raducanu.

Alex Eala1 — Alex Eala is ready for another grueling season starting with a pre-Grand Slam event in Canberra, followed by the Australian Open qualifiers in a few weeks. (File Photo)

The Filipino teen sensation is currently ranked No. 190 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Qualifying matches for the said Grand Slam is slated on Jan. 8, 2024 with the main draw firing off on Jan. 14 to 28.

Aside from Raducanu, among the big names in qualifiers are former World No. 5 and 2012 Roland Garros finalist Sara Errani, Chinese Taipei veteran Hsieh Su-wei, who like Raducanu has entered using a special ranking, and former Top 15 players Alize Cornet and Kaia Kanepi.

Prior to the tournament, though, Eala is scheduled to compete in a pre-Grand Slam event at the WTA25 Canberra International also in Australia that will start on Sunday, Dec. 31.

In fact, Eala left for Canberra last Tuesday, Dec. 26, after spending the holidays with her family.

This would be the second time that Eala will be competing in the Australian Open. Last year, she also managed to earn a qualifying seat but lost her first qualifying round to Misaki Doi of Japan in three sets.

Eala is coming off a successful year after winning bronze medals in the women’s singles and mixed doubles at the 19^th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last September.

She also clinched two pro singles titles -- the W25 Roehampton and W25 Yecla -- for a total of four pro titles in her career.

She went as high as No. 189 in the WTA last October.

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