Eala clobbers Thai rival, advance to quarters in Asiad

Alex Eala clobbered Patcharin Cheapchandej of Thailand, 6-1, 6-0, to jumpstart her campaign in the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Japan on Monday.

The top-seeded Filipina, who secured a first-round bye, hardly flexed her muscles against her lower-ranked rival in the match that was delayed due to rain and moved to an indoor court.

With the win, Eala advanced to the quarterfinals where she will face Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland, who routed Iran’s Mandegar Farzami, 6-1, 6-1.

Eala is tipped to win the gold in the women’s singles, being the highest-ranked player at No. 18, though she expects stiff challenge from other seeded rivals that include China’s Zhang Shuai, who also moved into the quarters after a 6-1, 6-0 demolition on Iran’s Meshkatolzahra Safi.

Earlier, Stefi Aludo and Tennielle Madis beat Indonesia’s Anjali Junarto and Meydiana Reinnamah, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the women’s doubles opening round.

Eala is also competing in the women’s doubles with Shaira Rivera.

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