Eala on brink of GS main draw

MANILA, Philippines — Third time’s the charm?

Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala will have a chance to claim a historic Grand Slam main draw ticket in her third try after barging into the final round of the US Open women’s singles qualifying draw yesterday in New York.

Eala, 19, defied the odds by shocking No. 15 seed and WTA No. 99 Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain, 7-5, 7-5, in the second round of the tough qualifiers.

The WTA No. 148 Eala shrugged off her US Open pro jitters by besting Maddison Inglis, WTA No. 180, of Australia with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 win in the first round.

Up against an even grizzled foe in the 33-year-old Diaz, who had back-to-back crowns in ITF W100 events before trooping to New York, Eala embraced the challenge and showcased her capability at a young age once more.

In both sets, Eala went toe-to-toe against Diaz with no inch of separation to pocket the win in one hour and 48 minutes.

Before the US Open, Eala came close to becoming the first Filipina player to reach a Grand Slam main draw but fell one win shy in the French Open and Wimbledon.