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Alex Eala to make SEA Games debut in Vietnam


Filipina teen tennis sensation Alex Eala has given her commitment to don the national colors come the 31st Southeast Asian Games set to be hosted by Vietnam from May 12 to 23.

Eala's father, Mike, confirmed to GMA News Online that his 16-year-old daughter will make her much-awaited SEA Games debut in Hanoi, where the Philippines will send at least 656 athletes.

"Yes, she will be playing. She submitted a signed registration form already," said Mike in a message on Thursday.

Eala is tipped to be one of the favorites in the biennial meet.

The Rafa Nadal Academy scholar currently places no. 10 in the junior rankings. She also recently moved up to no. 571 in Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ladder following a Round of 16 finish in the W25 Joue les Tour in France.

Eala is also the youngest Filipina to ever win a Grand Slam title.

In 2020, Eala and Indonesian partner Priska Nugroho ruled the Australian Open girls doubles event and followed it with the 2021 French Open title alongside Russian ace Oksana Selekhmeteva.

This year, Eala had seen action in five tournaments so far in the women's circuit.

Eala was supposed to make her SEA Games debut in 2019 but conflict with her training and competition schedules at the time barred her from representing the country.

—MGP, GMA News

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