TENNIS: Alycia Parks outhustles Alex Eala out of the Australian Open

Alycia Parks of the US recovered from a scoreless 0-6 start to grab two straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 to oust Alex Eala of the Philippines in the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia.

The world number 99 Parks served a blistering 12 aces against  the number 49 Eala's one. Parks is tied with Venus Williams with the fastest serve of 208 kph at the 2021 US Open.

Eala played her first Grand Slam of the year in front of a largely Filipino crowd with the stands in Melbourne Park swarming with crowds waving Philippine flags.  She will compete in the first round of the women's doubles tomorrow morning with Ingrid Martins of Brazil against Magda Linette of Poland and Shuko Aoyama of Japan.

Eala won the Kooyong Classic singles championship in New Zealand a few days ago. She won the Evon Goolagong Cawley trophy, named after the former world number one Australian player and multiple Grand Slam champion.