Alex Eala gives her immediate reaction after winning her first match at the Asian Games

Alex Eala is up and running at the Asian Games, winning her singles opener 6-1, 6-0 against Thailand's Patcharin Cheapchandej.

Playing in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round, Eala swept aside Cheapchandej in 55 minutes. She will later partner with the University of Alabama's Shaira Rivera in the Asian Games women's doubles.

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Representing the Philippines, the WTA superstar has now given her immediate reaction after winning her first match in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. It was played indoors at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

Alex Eala happy to make it through 'difficult' Asian Games opener

Speaking after the match, which was moved from the outdoor centre court because of rain, Eala said of her performance: "I'm happy with how I performed. Of course it's difficult conditions today. But yeah, I think I played well despite the wait."

And comparing the difference between now and her last appearance at the 2022 Asian Games, which were held in 2023, she commented: "I think 17 to 21 are quite formative years I would say, especially taking into account everything that I've been through in said four years. A lot of experience professionally, and of course a lot of growing outside of the court.

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"So I think of course I'm a little bit more mature now, mentally and physically of course better. And I've been working hard these past four years. So yeah it's different this time."

Eala clinched a pair of bronze medals in Hangzhou last time out, in singles and mixed doubles. And that success, along with her rapid rise on the WTA Tour, has piled the pressure on the 21-year-old to claim gold this time around.

She entered this year's tournament on the back of the Singapore Open, where Eala suffered a shock loss to Tatiana Prozorova in her opening match. But she has returned to winning ways, and in superb fashion.

However, the venue change meant many of her passionate followers could not attend her Asian Games opener, which will hopefully change for her next match. That comes in the form of a quarterfinal test against Chinese Taipei's Joanna Garland. Meanwhile, Eala and Rivera will take on Hong Kong's Ching Laam Lai and Kallista Liu in doubles.

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