Toronto, Ontario
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
Venue seats sold out, food section includes chicken adobo due to influx of Filipino fans
Alex Eala’s impressive North American hard-court run continued Wednesday as the No. 25 seed defeated American player Alycia Parks 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to advance to the third round of the National Bank Open in Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.
Eala has drawn more Filipino fans as she debuted in the Canada Open. She had just won her first singles title on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington on Monday.
The 20-year-old Filipina dominated the opening set, reeling off five consecutive games from 1-1 to take it 6-1, according to WTA’s website.
She did not face a break point on serve during the set and consistently pressured Parks from the baseline.
Parks responded in the second set. After surviving two difficult service games early, the American saved four break points to hold for a 3-2 lead. She then broke in the 10th game to claim the set 6-4 and force a decider.
After the players traded early breaks in the third set, Eala secured the decisive break in the fifth game to move ahead 3-2. She maintained control from there, winning the next three games to complete the victory in 1 hour, 51 minutes.
Making her debut at the National Bank Open, Eala became the first Filipino player, male or female, to win a main-draw match at the tournament, the WTA report added.
Cheered on by a vocal Filipino crowd, Eala dug deep after dropping the second set and finally broke Parks’ resistance in the decider.
Fans waving Philippine flags go crazy as Alex Eala scores in the Canada Open in Toronto Wednesday. (Screen grab from WTATennis.Com)
Afterward, Eala was effusive in her thanks to the Filipinos who showed up, waving flags and carrying signs of support for her.
“I am eternally grateful. I just came off Washington, so I really feel like this is a celebration,” she said in a report by ABS-CBN News.
“Alam niyo, linggo-linggo ko kayo nakikita, sinusuporta ako. Linggo-linggo ko nakikita kung gaano niyo kamahal ang kapwa niyo Pinoy,” she added. “Kaya proud na proud na proud na proud ako din maging Pinoy.”
Next up for Eala is a first career meeting with American Caty McNally.
National Bank Open WTA 1000 Toronto Tournament director Karl Hale said the food section of the venue has Filipino food, particularly chicken adobo, in a nod to Eala’s participation.
“We’ve added adobo chicken to our food offering in the food court,” Hale told ABS-CBN.
He said it was the first time they offered chicken adobo for the tournament.
Hale said it was great to have the Filipino community in droves in Toronto, and they have Filipino staff helping out.
When Eala’s participation was announced, Hale said their 10,077-seater stadium was sold out, citing that the Filipino community had been making calls.