By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense tennis star Alex Eala remained focused on her opening-round match at Wimbledon but admitted that a potential second-round meeting with 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams would be a special moment.

Eala is set to face Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in the first round.

During her pre-tournament press conference, however, she was asked about the possibility of facing Williams should both players win their opening matches.

The 21-year-old said she first learned about the potential matchup after seeing the tournament draw online.

“I actually found out through a post that she was kind of near me. I wasn’t the first one in my team to see the draw,” she said.

“It’s kind of hard to miss because she’s next to my name. A possible matchup with Serena is incredible. And [I] just [have] to be in the same draw as her, competing at the same time. It’s amazing to see her back,” she added.

Eala also paid tribute to Serena and her sister, Venus Williams, for their lasting impact on the sport, saying their influence extends far beyond their achievements on the court.

“What both Serena and Venus have done for tennis [is] it’s crazy. The things they have done for minorities in tennis, equal pay and the list goes on and on. I haven’t even gotten into the inspiration that they are and how they’ve inspired the next generation,” she said.

She added that today’s players continue to benefit from the Williams sisters’ contributions to the game.

“They have left tennis better than they came in. We benefit from a lot of the things that they’ve achieved. So for that, I’m really thankful,” she said.

For now, Eala’s immediate focus remains on her first-round encounter with Zarazua as she begins her Wimbledon campaign./ASC, WDJ