Alex Eala rallied from a set down to whip Russian foe Ekaterina Kazionova, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to secure a slot in the second round of the W60 Hamburg women’s singles at the Hamburger Tennis-Verband in Hamburg, Germany.
It took Eala, the US Open girls champion, two hours and 44 minutes to repulse the Russian.
Now rated No. 248 in the world, Eala is fresh from a quarterfinal finish in the W8 Rancho Santa Fe in California last 8 October.
Eala is in Germany in the hopes of winning her third singles crown after the W15 Manacor last year and the W25 Chiang Rai last April.
“Good start! Happy with the way I played today. Round 2 match is on Thursday,” Eala wrote on her social media account.
Next up for her is a clash with Ysalina Bonaventure of Belgium, who is rated No. 118 and the tournament top seed.
Bonaventure also advanced after slamming Jana Fett of Croatia, 6-4, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Treat Huey teams up with Max Schnur of the United States in men’s doubles of the ATP Challenger also in Hamburg.
They will clash with Croatian Duje Ajdukovic and Jonas Forejtek of the Czech Republic.