By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense Alexandra Eala delivered a commanding start to her homecoming campaign, sweeping Russia’s Alina Charaeva, 6-1, 6-2, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center to advance to the opening round of the Philippine Women’s Open.

The 20-year-old Negrense, seeded No. 2 in the WTA 125 tournament, was in control from the outset, racing through the first set in just 24 minutes behind a barrage of forehand and backhand winners.

Eala faced a brief scare early in the second set after calling for a medical timeout while down 1-2, but she returned with her left thigh bandaged and showed no signs of slowing down.

She went on to win six straight games to close out the match in one hour and 16 minutes.

The victory marked Eala’s first professional singles win on Philippine soil and provided a bright spot for the home crowd on an opening day that saw several local players fall.

Fellow Filipina Tennielle Madis was eliminated after a 6-4, 6-0 loss to Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew.

Madis led 2-0 in the first set, but Sawangkaew responded with strong net play and consistency to take control of the match, dominating the second set to seal the win in one hour and 19 minutes.

Wild card Elizabeth Abarquez was the first Filipina to bow out, suffering a 6-0, 6-0 defeat at the hands of Japan’s Mai Hontama.

The opening day also saw several Filipina pairs eliminated in doubles.

Kaye Ann Emana and Justine Hannah Maneja lost 6-2, 6-2 to Argentina’s Nicole Fossa Huergo and Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja, while Angeline Alcala and Joanna Peña were beaten 6-0, 6-1 by Japan’s Sara Saito and Taiwan’s Li Yu-yun.

The Philippine Women’s Open, organized by the Philippine Tennis Association and sanctioned by the Women’s Tennis Association, continues this week at the historic Rizal Memorial Tennis Center./ASC, WDJ