HANGZHOU, China—Alex Eala completely dominated Sarah Ibrahim Khan in her Asiad debut on Monday, whipping her Pakistani foe, 6-0, 6-0, in the 19th Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.
It took only 39 minutes for Eala to bring down the 32-year-old Khan, who is nearly half her age, and progress to the next round either against Kazakhstan’s Aruzhan Sagandykova or India’s Rutuja Bhosale.
“It was a great game and it was good for my confidence,’’ said Eala, who currently ranked No. 191 in the world.
Seeded fourth in the tournament, Eala limited Khan to only six points against her for the duration of their duel.
The 18-year-old Filipino tennis prodigy also asserted her might with five aces.
“I think I came in with a great attitude and a great mindset,’’ Eala said.
She will likewise see action in the mixed doubles with Ruben Gonzales, both of them armed with impressive credentials.
Another member of the team is Francis Alcantara, who is aiming for a podium finish that will end the nation’s medal drought in the Games.
Filipino-American Cecil Mamiit was the last netter to spearhead the Philippines to a pair of bronzes in the 2006 Doha edition.
