Alexandra Eala practices with WTA star she made a complaint about earlier this year
Alexandra Eala has begun her preparations for the Italian Open as she looks to boost her chances of earning seeded entry at Roland Garros.
Eala enters the Italian Masters tournament as the current World No. 39, which would not likely be enough to earn a favourable draw in Paris.
The Filipina has suffered a rankings dropped after a difficult time during the clay court swing, which has seen her achieve a worrying 2-3 record on the surface in Linz, Stuttgart, and Madrid.
The star plays the Italian Open for the second consecutive year, where she is looking to build upon a first round exit at the 2025 tournament.
Eala was demolished by Marta Kostyuk in straight sets at last year’s Italian Open, picking up just one game in a difficult straight sets defeat.
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This year, Eala has been practicing alongside Laura Siegemund, the German veteran who is one of the most experienced players on the WTA Tour.
Siegemund is notoriously difficult to play and is still challenging the best players in the game at the age of 38.
It might come as a surprise that Eala is practising alongside Siegemund as they pair was shrouded in controversy when they met at the Miami Open earlier this year.
Eala managed to win the match in three sets in Miami, but she was far from happy with the German’s conduct between points in their clash.
The 20-year-old was frustrated with the amount of time Siegemund was taking between Eala’s service games, and she even made a complaint to the umpire.
“Can you watch her time, because many times she’s delaying,” asked Eala, as she cut a frustrated figure due to Siegemund’s clever gamesmanship.
“I was about to serve. Yeah, but she stopped the point,” continued Eala in her complaints about Siegemund. “I was about to serve, and she turned around.”
Still, it looks as if Eala and Siegemund have put their controversy to bed as they prepare for their respective Italian Open campaigns in Rome.
Eala and Siegemund hit on the practice courts in Rome, before the Filipina star continued her session on court alongside long-time coach Joan Bosch.
Eala begins her Italian Open campaign with a difficult first round match against Magdalena Fręch, who currently sits just four places below the Filipina in the rankings.
The pair are yet to play on the WTA Tour, although Frech has lost her last five matches in a row so she will no doubt be devoid of confidence.
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Should Eala find a way past the out-of-form Pole, she will be rewarded with a second round match against 31st seed Wang Xinyu. Eala has also been drawn in the same section of the draw as Elena Rybakina, Jacquiline Cristian, and Maria Sakkari.
Siegemund, meanwhile, will play Abu Dhabi Open champion Sára Bejlek in round one, with Ekaterina Alexandrova awaiting the winner, as she has been given a very hard task at the Italian Masters tournament.
