Alex Eala has arrived in Nagoya and is ready to begin her campaign for the Philippines in the women’s singles tennis event of the 20th Asian Games.
Eala arrived in Japan on Saturday evening and was welcomed by members of the Philippine delegation led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino.
“Proud and excited,” Eala said of representing the Philippines in the continental showcase.
The world No. 18 is the top seed in the women’s singles draw and earned a first-round bye. She will make her tournament debut against the winner of the opening-round clash between Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej and Pakistan’s Qureshi Mahin Aftab.
Eala enters the Asian Games after an early exit at the Singapore Open, where she bowed to Russian Tatiana Prozorova.
The 21-year-old Filipina will also compete in the women’s doubles, teaming up with Shaira Rivera. The pair will face Hong Kong’s Kallista Liu and Ching Laam Lai in the opening round.
Tennielle Madis will kick off the Philippines’ women’s singles campaign on September 27 when she takes on seventh seed Himeno Sakatsume in the opening match on center court at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
Madis will also partner with Stefi Aludo in the women’s doubles against Indonesia’s Anjali Kirana Junarto and Meydiana Laviola Reinnamah.
Rivera will have another assignment in the mixed doubles alongside veteran Niño Alcantara. The Filipino duo will face Iran’s Kasra Rahmani and Meshatolzahra Safi on Court 4 on Saturday afternoon.
