TENNIS: Alex Eala dismantles Chinese foe in straight sets, advances in Italian Open

The saying "revenge is sweeter the second time around" could not be more timely for Filipina ace Alex Eala when she conquered China's Wang Xinyu in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, in the Italian Open on Friday, May 8.

The world number 42 Eala earned payback after avenging her loss to the number 33 Wang in the semifinals of the ASB Classic in New Zealand last January.

The Filipina crowd favorite trailed 0-3 in the first set as Wang raced to score three successive games using aggressive plays and deep strokes. Eala slowly found her stride and won six of the next seven games to clinch the first set, 6-4.

Wang again led in the second set 3-2. Undaunted, Eala racked three straight games, just a game shy of winning the match at 5-3. The Filipina's winning stroke came when Wang failed to return her powerful serve, closing the set and the match, 6-3.

The Rafa Nadal Academy alumna advances to the round of 32 facing either Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan or Maria Sakkari of Greece. Eala won in the previous round over Poland's Magdalena Frech in a three-set battle,  6-0, 3-6, 6-4.

According to the WTA, Eala "advanced to the third round of a WTA 1000 clay-court event for the first time in her career." Before her victory today, Eala has only reached the second round in either Rome or Madrid.