Alex Eala made a triumphant return to action on Wednesday (PH time), dominating Dutch player Arianne Hartono, 6-2, 6-2, in the Round of 32 of the Guadalajara 125 Open in Zapopan, Mexico.
Eala, 20, who made history as the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main draw match at the US Open last week, needed just a little over an hour to dispose of Hartono.
The win gave Eala a 4-0 head-to-head record against the Dutch player.
Eala is the second seed in the tournament and is now the highest-seeded player left after defending champion Kamilla Rakhimova was booted out of the first round by Victoria Jimenez Kasinteva, a familiar foe for the Filipina hitter.
For Eala’s next assignment, it will be Uzbek-American veteran hitter Varvara Lepchenko who made it to the main draw through qualifiers.
Lepchenko won over Maddison Inglis in the opening round, 6-4, 6-1.
