Eala wins Wimbledon qualifiers opener

MANILA, Philippines — Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala is through her first door into Wimbledon after sweeping Jessika Ponchet, 7-6(1), 6-4, in the opening round of the qualifiers Tuesday night (Manila time.)

Eala is eyeing her first Grand Slam main draw appearance.

It was a grind-it-out win for the 19-year-old Filipina, who got the win in an hour and 48 minutes.

After moving within a game to secure the first set 5-2, the 27-year-old French tennister won the next three games to tie it up.

Eala won in the next game, before errors got the best of the teenager to help Ponchet force the extended set.

Here, however, Eala was just too much for her veteran opponent.

Come the second set, the Asian Games bronze medalist continued to pour it in, once again moving to within a game to secure the match, 5-3.

While Ponchet won the important Game 9, the Filipina outlasted her opponent in the next game, securing the victory with a forehand winner.

Eala will face Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek in the next round of the qualifiers.

Zidansek is the No. 14 tennister in the qualifiers. They will duke it out Wednesday night (Manila time).