Alex Eala defeats Polish foe for round of 16 spot in Suzhou Open

Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala has secured a spot in the round of 16 in the Suzhou Open after besting Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa.

Eala started her Suzhou Open strong with a win against 32-year-old Kawa on Tuesday, Sept. 30, despite the pause due to heavy downpour.

The 20-year-old won the first set with 6-3, but world's No. 124 Kawa claimed the second set despite the pause, with a 6-3 win.

Eala bounced back, clinching the lead in set three and securing her 7-5 win for the round of 16 spot. She gained the advantage after Kawa committed 11 double faults in the entire game.

The Filipina tennis superstar will now face off against world No. 106 Greet Minnen of Belgium in the next round. Minnen defeated China's Han Shi in Tuesday's match.

This came shortly after her Jingshan Open stint, where she finished in the semifinals.

Eala, currently ranked 58th, is vying for her second WTA 125 title after her historic win in Guadalajara earlier this month.

Suzhou Open is part of the WTA 125 series of events, and it is set to wrap on Oct. 5.