TENNIS: Japanese rival falls as Alex Eala gets sweet revenge

The Philippines' Alex Eala continues her conquest of past tormentors as she dismantles Japan's Himeno Sakatsume in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0, in the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, Philippines.

The Japanese gave fierce resistance in the first set as both players fought tooth and nail for every point with Eala finally coming out on top 6-4. The second set was literally all Eala as she blanks Sakatsume 6-0. Eala will advance to the quarterfinals of the very first WTA tournament in the Philippines.

Sakatsume beat Eala, 6-0,6-3 in 2023 in Osaka, Japan. Eala is currently at number 49 of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings while Sakatsume is at number 140.

Eala previously defeated another former tormentor in Alina Charaeva of Russia in straight sets in the first round. Eala has yet to lose a set in the tournament.