
ALEX EALA’S build up for Wimbledon went to a roaring start as she beat Czech Republic’s Darja Vidmanova, 6-4, 6-4, at the J1 Roehampton tournament on Thursday in London.
The 16-year-old tennis sensation Eala, a long-time Globe ambassador, is looking to conquer Wimbledon for her third grand slam tournament victory in her young but decorated career.
But Eala needs to gain some more experience on grass and is using the International Tennis Federation Grade 1 tournament to further sharpen her skills heading for the Wimbledon juniors tournament that starts on Monday.
The No. 3 ranked juniors player in the world had no troublein disposing of the 18-year-old Vidmanova, currently ranked nN. 35 in the ITF juniors rankings.
Eala’s next opponent will be Matilde Paoletti of Italy.
Eala and 18-year-old Indonesian Priska Madelyn Nugroho slipped past Nicole Rivkin of Germany and Hanne Vandewinkel of Belgium, 7-6, 7-5, in the doubles e vent.
The Eala-Nugroho tandem won the Australian Open girls’ doubles in 2020.
Eala and Nugroho’s opponent in the next round will be the pair of Barbora Palicova of the Czech Republic and Radka Zelnickova of Slovakia.