Buoyed by the support from Filipino fans, Alexandra Eala got off to a superb start at the Linz Open in Austria on Tuesday, beating home favourite Julia Grabher 6-4, 6-3.
The straight-set victory in her first match on the clay court this season has earned the world number 46 a place in the round of 16.
The Filipina sensation will now take on former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, a player she had beaten last year when she famously reached the semifinals at the Miami Open.
The highest-ranked player in the history of the Philippines, Eala will be confident of advancing to the quarterfinals even as she faces a player — Ostapenko — whose greatest triumph came on clay.
The 28-year-old Latvian is a hugely experienced campaigner. But as always, Eala will enjoy the support of her adoring Filipino fans.
On Tuesday, hundreds of flag-waving fans turned up at the TipsArena Linz to cheer for her as Eala produced a solid game to tame Grabher.
Despite the home advantage, the Austrian was overpowered by the left-handed star who rode the wave of Filipino support to clinch the game in two sets.
The 20-year-old has already grabbed a semifinal appearance this season at the Auckland Open.
She also made it to the quarterfinals of the Abu Dhabi Open and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships this season.
Now, a place in the quarterfinals in her first clay court tournament of the season will give her a boost as she continues her quest for excellence at the highest level.
Source: Khaleej Times