Rain dampens Eala fans' spirits as Filipino tennis star makes Nagoya debut behind closed doors
NAGOYA: Filipino fans came from far and wide to watch Alex Eala at the Asian Games tennis on Monday but had their spirits dampened as poor weather caused the women’s top seed to be shifted to a closed indoor court for her first match.
NAGOYA: Filipino tennis enthusiast Alex Eala's debut at the Asian Games in Nagoya was marred by poor weather conditions, leading to her first match being relocated to a closed indoor court. Despite drawing crowds of adoring fans in her home nation, Eala faced a crowd of only a few dozen spectators at her opening match against Thailand's Patcharin Cheapchandej.
The Filipino tennis star, world number 18, triumphed 6-1, 6-0 against her opponent, securing a spot in the quarter-finals against Taiwan's top-ranked player, Joanna Garland. Eala expressed her readiness for any playing conditions, emphasizing that the fundamentals of the game remained unchanged. Eala's fans from Davao City, who had traveled to Nagoya to support her, expressed disappointment at missing the match due to the weather-induced change.
The Filipino tennis community, numbering around 10,000 in Nagoya, felt a sense of loss, recognizing Eala's role in popularizing the sport in their country. Eala's absence from the China Open to participate in the Asian Games could potentially earn her a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
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