Rising star Alex Eala bowed out of the Japan Women’s Open in the opening round, losing to qualifier Himeno Sakatsume of Japan, 0-6, 3-6.
Eala, who is currently ranked No. 195 in the world, had a strong start to the year, winning four ITF titles and breaking into the WTA top 200. However, she has struggled in recent months, and her loss to Sakatsume was her fifth in a row.
Sakatsume, who is ranked No. 184 in the world, played a flawless match. She served well and hit her groundstrokes cleanly. Eala struggled to find her rhythm and made a number of unforced errors.
Despite the loss, Eala remains one of the most promising young players in the world. She is still only 18 years old, and she has a lot of time to develop. She is also scheduled to compete in the Asian Games in September, where she will represent the Philippines.
What went wrong for Eala?
There are a few factors that may have contributed to Eala’s loss in the opening round of the Japan Women’s Open.
First, she may have been feeling the pressure of playing in her first WTA main draw event in several months. She had also lost her previous four matches, so she may have been lacking in confidence.
Second, Sakatsume played a very good match. She served well and hit her groundstrokes cleanly. Eala struggled to find her rhythm and made a number of unforced errors.
Finally, the conditions in Osaka may not have been ideal for Eala. The temperature was hot and humid, and the court was slow. Eala prefers to play on fast courts, so she may have struggled to adjust to the conditions.
What’s next for Eala?
Despite the loss, Eala remains one of the most promising young players in the world. She is still only 18 years old, and she has a lot of time to develop.
Eala is scheduled to compete in the Asian Games in September, where she will represent the Philippines. She will also continue to play on the ITF tour, where she will be looking to win more titles and improve her ranking.
Eala is a talented player with a lot of potential. She is sure to bounce back from this loss and achieve great things in her career.
