FILIPINA sensation Alexandra Eala could have an early rematch with world no. 2 and defending champion Iga Swiatek at the Mutua Madrid Open, which is set to begin with its main draw on Tuesday.
But the 19-year old Eala will first meet Viktoriya Tomova in the first round and have to beat the Bulgarian to be able to set up that rematch with Swiatek.
Both Eala and Swiatek, who drew a bye in the first round, sit at the bottom of the draw of the women’s singles.
Swiatek took the women’s singles honors last year after winning three championship points to squeak past world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the finals.
As Eala gets ready to face Tomova, she believes that her performance on clay will be affected by her game’s proficiency on hard court surfaces.
“I don’t think my game will change on clay. That it’s affected by the shots, that it’s affected by the weather, I can’t make it a big deal,” said Eala, who had a memorable encounter with Swiatek, whom she upset at the hardcourts of the Miami Open recently to enter the semifinals.
The world no. 64-ranked Tomova, just like Eala, has not won a women’s singles’ crown before and at age 30, will use her experience to try to get past the young and energetic Filipina.
Tomova also saw action the Miami Open and bowed to Sabalenka, 3-6, 0-6, in the round of 64.
At the Charleston Open two weeks later, Tomova took a 1-6, 3-6 setback to American netter Robin Montgomery.
Also in the same group in the first round with Eala is Petra Kvitova, who holds the record for the most Madrid titles with three (2011, 2015 and 2018).
Kvitova is still looking for the first win of her comeback bid since giving birth, as she faces Katie Volynets in the first round.