Alex Eala targets breakthrough main draw win at US Open

Alex Eala is taking it one goal at a time in trying to make a mark in the big stage such as the Grand Slams.For now, she only wanted that breakthrough win at this year’s US Open, where she will be debuting in the main draw.“There’s still a lot for me to achieve. There are a lot of big tournaments lined up. Like, I hope to play well there (US Open) and try to get my first Grand Slam win,” said Eala in Friday’s Meet and Greet hosted by one of her sponsors, Globe.This would be the third time that Eala is competing in the main draw of the Grand Slams. She debuted at the French Open in May and the Wimbledon Championships a few weeks back, but failed to make it past the first round.This time, Eala is determined to turn things around as she is set to compete in three high-profile Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournaments in the coming weeks to beef up her preparations for the US Open set next month.The 20-year-old Eala is scheduled to compete in the WTA1000 Montreal on July 27 to Aug. 7 in Canada before plunging into action in the Cincinnati Open in Ohio on Aug. 7 to 18 and the Monterrey Open in Mexico on Aug. 18 to 23.All three tournaments are rated just one rung below the Grand Slams and draw high-ranking players particularly those in the Top 20.However, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur and world No. 10 Paula Badosa withdrew from Montreal, although Jessica Pegula is expected to defend her title.World No. 16 Ekaterina Alexandrova, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, and teen sensation Mira Andreeva headline the Cincinnati Open’s player list.Eala currently enjoys a career-high No. 56 in the WTA following her impressive runner-up finish at the Eastbourne Open in Great Britain and her first-round main draw finish at the Wimbledon.