Manny Pacquiao or Rafael Nadal? Alex Eala gets a tricky question

During a lighthearted “this or that” game on CNA Lifestyle, 21-year-old Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala faced a tricky dilemma: choosing between boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and tennis icon Rafael Nadal. Unfazed by the question, Eala playfully rebuffed the query, joking that it wasn't fair to put her in such an awkward position. Despite dodging the challenge, the young athlete will soon confront a similar hurdle as she prepares to defend her title at the Singapore Open.

Eala has secured a first-round bye in the main draw, meaning she will advance directly to the second round upon her first match. She will take on the victor of Belgium's Sofia Costoulas and Russia's Tatiana Prozorova. Prozorova edged out Costoulas 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in their first-round contest, with Prozorova also defeating Costoulas in their previous meeting at the Philippine Open quarter-finals in January.

Eala has been granted a favorable draw at the WTA 500 tournament and enters as the No. 3 seed after several top-ranked players withdrew, including Jessica Pegula, Diana Shnaider, and Sorana Cirstea. The top seed is Mirra Andreeva, followed by Amanda Anisimova, while defending champion Elise Mertens holds the No. 4 seed spot.

Currently ranked No. 18 in the world, Eala has experienced a breakthrough season on the WTA Tour. She claimed her first WTA title at the Washington Open in August, defeating Jessica Pegula in the final. With her sights set on a deep run at the Singapore Open, Alex Eala is gaining momentum as a promising player to watch in women's tennis.