TENNIS

Newly-crowned Grand Slam champ Alex Eala returns to pro tourney in Spain

Just days after scooping her second Grand Slam title in the 2021 French Open Juniors doubles, Alex Eala is back in action, this time in the professional circuit.

The 16-year-old Filipina tennis sensation and partner Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra swept the second-seeded pair of American Robin Anderson and Bulgaria's Isabelle Shinikova, 6-3, 7-6, in the opening round of the W25 Madrid on Tuesday.

Eala (no. 630) and Kasintseva (no. 713) rank lower than the opposing side as Anderson is currently ranked WTA no. 221 while Shinikova is at no. 216.

The victory also earned the Filipina and the Andorran a  berth for the quarterfinals where they will face Ashley Lahey of the United States and Australia's Olivia Tjanramulia.

Meanwhile, Eala also saw action in the singles circuit but her efforts were not enough to outdo home bet Andrea Lazaro Garcia.

Eala, who is currently the no. 3 in ITF juniors world ranking, fell short against the no. 5 seed in the first round , 6-2, 4-6, 4-6.

She won her first professional title in January and earned a wild card in the Miami Open qualifiers last March.

—MGP, GMA News