Eala turns attention to SEA Games singles gold

Alex Eala (middle)

(STAR / Russell Palma)

MANILA, Philippines — World tennis sensation and Team Philippines flag bearer Alex Eala shifts her focus to her own battle in the highly anticipated singles tournament after securing a bronze medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games women's team division.

Eala, the highest ranked tennister at WTA No. 52 in the entire biennial tourney, will face Malaysian Shihomi Li Xuan Leong in the quarterfinals starting at 10 a.m. Monday, looking to move closer to her first-ever gold medal at the National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

"So proud of our team for showing up and giving their all. All sights on the individuals. Tuloy ang laban," said Eala after the Philippine team that also featured Stefi Aludo, Alexa Milliam, Tennielle Madis and Shaira Rivera fell short against Thailand in the team semifinals.

As the No. 1 seed, the 20-year-old Filipina gained a first-round bye for an automatic Top 8 ticket while Leong swept Laos' Aliya Vongdala, 2-0, in their first-round duel.

With all of her international feats in the WTA Tour and tennis majors, Eala looms as the undisputed title favorite with the 18-year-old Leong miles behind her in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings at No. 968.

Eala will also have some ax to grind after settling for a bronze medal in the 31st edition in Hanoi, Vietnam. Then a No. 2 seed, Eala absorbed a 6-4, 6-1 semis defeat at the hands of No. 4 Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand.

She won a total of three bronze medals in Hanoi, teaming up with Treat Huey in the mixed doubles along with Shaira Hope Rivera, Marian Capadocia and Jenaila Rose Prulla in the women's team.

Eala skipped the Phnom Penh games the next edition due to schedule conflict, making Nonthaburi a perfect place to exact vengeance and net her breakthrough gold medal at last after a historic year in the international tennis scene.

Aside from being the first Filipina player to ever barge into the world's Top 50 rankings, Eala also won her first WTA Tour title this season in Guadalajara, Mexico, and became the first Filipina main draw winner in any Grand Slam with a first-round win at the US Open against then World No. 15 Clara Tauson of Denmark.