Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala powered her way into the second round of the Italian Open after battling past Poland’s Magdalena Fręch, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4, in a hard-fought opening-round clash.
Eala came out firing in dominant fashion, blanking Fręch in the first set with a commanding 6-0 display that showcased her aggressive baseline play and early control of rallies.
But the momentum shifted in the second set as Fręch regrouped, tightening her service game and forcing errors from the Filipina to level the match at one set apiece with a 6-3 response.
The deciding set turned into a tense back-and-forth battle, with both players holding serve under pressure before Eala ultimately found another gear late in the match to seal the 6-4 victory.
With the win, Eala advances to the second round and will face world number 33 women’s singles player, Xinyu Wang from China, in the second round.