MADRID, Spain — Hindi umano apektado si defending champion Iga Swiatek sa naging resulta ng Miami Open sa muling paghaharap nila sa Madrid ng Filipina tennis sensation na si Alex Eala noong Abril 24.
Hindi malilimutang ginulat ni Eala ang world no. 2 na si Swiatek noong Marso, nang talunin ng Pinay si Swiatek sa semifinals ng WTA1000 event Miami.
Gayunman nalampasan na ito ni Iga matapos mangingibabaw laban sa Filipina sensation sa Mutua Madrid Open.
“I feel like I know this place pretty well, so I’m going to use the experience. But the experience doesn’t play, so I got to approach this match as any other match,” pahayag ni Swiatek bago ang laban kay Eala.
“Doesn’t really matter what happened in Miami,” dagdag pa niya. “I mean, honestly, with Alexandra, like it’s not like we played a lot, so it’s hard for me to say. I guess I’ll just need to see and adjust.”
Bigo si Eala na manalo kay Swiatek sa score na 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 pabor sa Polish tennis champ. Sa naturang panalo, maituturing na naiganti ni Swiatek ang kanyang hindi inaasahang pagkatalo kay Eala sa Miami Open.
Para naman kay Eala, matapos ang laban kay Swiatek ay sinabi niyang: “Sometime ago, my dad told me, ‘If you want to be a lion, you have to live in the den.’ I’ve earned my place in the den — and I like to think I’m a lion in the making.”
