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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Eala clashes with former Grand Slam champion in Montreal meet

Eala clashes with former Grand Slam champion in Montreal meet

Published Jul 27, 2025 04:41 pm

At A Glance

  • Alex Eala expects a tough start to her hard court season after being drawn with former Grand Slam champion Marketa Vondrousova in the opening round of the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada.
Alex Eala starts her hard court season at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada this week. (File Photo/AP)
Alex Eala starts her hard court season at the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada this week. (File Photo/AP)
Alex Eala expects a tough start to her hard court season after being drawn with former Grand Slam champion Marketa Vondrousova in the opening round of the National Bank Open in Montreal, Canada.
The clash is set at around early dawn on Monday, July 28 (Philippine time) with the 20-year-old Filipina standout seeking to make an impact in this Women’s Tennis Association (WTA100) tournament rated just one rung below the Grand Slams.
Eala is coming off a break from a grueling clay and grass season and is expected to use this tournament as a springboard for her main draw debut appearance at the US Open next month.
She slipped from a career-high No. 56 to 69 following that three-week break.
Vondrousova, for her part, is just a few rungs higher at No. 65, but the 26-year-old boasts of a wider experience after ranking as high as No. 6 in September 2023 and a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
A left-hander like Eala, the Czech veteran is also a quarterfinalist at the 2023 US Open and a finalist at the 2019 French Open, losing the title to Australian Ashleigh Barty.
A victory for Eala would arrange her a second-round date with another formidable rival in Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who earned an opening-round bye.
The National Bank Open is just one of the three tournaments lined up for Eala before plunging into action at the US Open.
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