World no. 162 Alex Eala hurdled the first round of the women’s singles’ qualifiers of the 2024 Wimbledon Tennis Championships on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) at the grasscourts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.
The 19-year-old Eala, whose Women’s Tennis Association ranking went down from a career-high 157 recently, is now in the second round after she got past France’s Jessika Ponchet, 7-6, 6-4.
Eala took an hour and 48 minutes to get past Ponchet and move to a second qualifying round encounter with 14th-seeded Tamara Zidanšek of Slovenia.
After forcing a deuce with a forehand winner, 40-all in the second, Eala gained the advantage off the French netter’s backhand error.
The left-handed Eala’s forehand winner in the next play won the set for her.
Eala, who is seeking her first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam event, has so far earned a total prize money of $130,741 this year (around P7.69 million).
Last week, she earned $3,478 from competing in the $150,000 Venetto Open in Gaiba, Italy.
While there, Eala reached the quarterfinals, where she bowed to Sara Errani, 0-6, 6-7 (3).
She reached the quarterfinals after turning back Giorgia Pedone, 6-3, 6-3.
Earlier, Eala picked up $2,140 and 12 WTA points after seeing action in the qualifiers of the $267,087 Rothesay Open in Nottingham, England.
