Pinoys roar, Eala soars

Sweet Toronto celebration

MANILA, Philippines —  From a championship high to another statement win.

Alex Eala made her Mubadala Citi DC Open title count, feeding off a flag-waving Filipino crowd at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto to storm into Round 3 of the National Bank Open yesterday.

The red-hot Filipina ace was unstoppable, dismantling American tormentor Alycia Parks, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, in a revenge-fueled showdown at the WTA 1000 event.

And President Marcos again led the nation in hailing Eala’s relentless romp.

Calm, cool and lethal, Eala refused to fold. After stumbling in the second set, she slammed the door with a ruthless 4-0 closing blitz – punctuated by a love-game clincher in the eighth – to stretch her winning streak just two days after conquering the WTA 500 in the US capital.

Eala will next face WTA No. 70 Naty McNally of the USA in the Round of 32 on Saturday. McNally, after trailing 1-5, pulled off the biggest upset in Toronto so far by taking down Wimbledon champion and World No. 7 Linda Noskova of Czechia, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.

Eala surely enjoyed her Toronto opener played before a predominantly Filipino crowd.

“Kumusta tayo ngayon Toronto? Iwagayway nyo ang mga bandila nyo. There are so many Filipinos and flags in the crowd today so thank you. I am eternally grateful. I just came off Washington and I feel like this is a celebration,” said an ecstatic Eala, jumping with both hands up and egging on the crowd to celebrate with her.

“Alam nyo mga kababayan, linggo-linggo ko kayong nakikita, sinusuportahan ako. Linggo-linggo ko nakikita kung gaano nyo kamahal ang kapwa nyo Pinoy. Kaya proud na proud din ako maging Pinoy. Maraming salamat, mga kababayan. Mahal na mahal ko kayong lahat.”

It was more than a third-round ticket for World No. 20 Eala. It was payback.

Parks, World No. 71, had ended Eala’s Australian Open run in Round 1 earlier this year – a collapse that still stung after Eala dished out a 6-0 bagel in the opener only to lose the next two.

Toronto threatened to be a cruel repeat. After a clinical 6-1 start, Eala blinked and blew a 4-3 second-set lead, handing Parks the lifeline to force a decider.

This time, Eala didn’t break.

True to her word that she’s a different player since Melbourne, Eala showed nerves of steel in the decider, cashing in on five break points while allowing Parks only two to complete her sweet revenge. – Kate Judson