Alex Eala takes on world No. 21 Elise Mertens in Madrid Open Round of 64

Alex Eala will lock horns with a higher-ranked foe when she returns to action in the Madrid Open on Friday night in Spain.

The 20-year-old Filipina tennis star will face Elise Mertens of Belgium in the Round of 64 set at 6:30 p.m.

READ MORE | Who is Elise Mertens? Alex Eala’s Round of 64 opponent at the Madrid Open

Eala was coming off a lopsided victory over veteran Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the Round of 128, pulling off a 6-3, 6-3 win last Wednesday to kick off her campaign.

Eala has so far competed in two clay events this year, but fell short on both occasions.

She started her clay run at the Linz Open, where she absorbed a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Jelena Ostapenko in the Round of 16. She then came back at the Stuttgart Open, but also bowed to Filipina-Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the Round of 32, 6-1, 6-4.

Eala, who currently ranks 44th in the world, is now looking for an upset against the higher-ranked Mertens.

The 30-year-old Mertens is the world No. 21 in singles division and is the top-ranked player in doubles. She earned a bye in the opening round, before drawing Eala as her foe in the Madrid Open.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News