Eala builds up for French Open with Madrid, Rome tourneys

MANILA, Philippines — Alexandra "Alex" Eala continues her buildup for the Roland Garros with a couple of WTA 1000 tier tournaments.

The Filipino tennis ace has been listed in the main draw of the Madrid Open in Spain and the Rome Open in Italy.

Eala will first compete in the Madrid tourney set from April 21 to May 3 and the Rome competition slated from May 5 to 17 before the French Open set from May 18 to June 7.

The 20-year-old has also been listed at the 125 Parma Ladies Open in Italy but her participation in the tourney depends on how far she advances in Roland Garros.

The Parma Ladies Open overlaps with the second Grand Slam of the Year, running from May 11 to 16.

World No. 45 Eala last saw action at the Stuttgart Open where she fell to Leylah Fernandez in the first round, 1-6, 4-6.

It was her second straight early exit for the clay season after the Linz Open in Austria where she bowed to Jelena Ostapenko in the second round, 4-6, 5-7.

Suffering quick exits in the aforementioned 500 tourneys, Eala looks to turn things around in the 1000-tiers Madrid and Rome.

Unlike at Indian Wells and Miami, Eala isn't in the top 32 entering these Madrid and Rome competitions which means she won't have a first-round bye.

Eala will thus begin in the round of 128 in the star-studded competitions.

Both tournaments will have the top 10 players in the world as well as a slew of players in the top 32.

The current top 10 are world No. 1 and defending champ Aryna Sabalenka, world No. 2 Elena Rybakina, No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Swiatek, No. 5 Jessica Pegula, No. 6 Amanda Anisimova, No. 7 Elina Svitolina, No. 8 Jasmine Paolini, No. 9 Mirra Andreeva, and No. 10 Victoria Mboko.

Sabalenka is the defending champ in Madrid while Paolini is the reigning titlist in Rome.

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