Eala starts Wimbledon campaign against veteran Mexican

Sports

ALEX Eala will be up against a veteran opponent when she starts her campaign in the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.

Seeded No. 29 in the tournament, the world No. 29 Eala will face Mexican veteran Renata Zarazua in the first round on Tuesday (Philippine time), June 30.

Eala and the world No. 76 Zarazua played against each other in the quarterfinals of the ITF W100 Cary tournament in the United States in 2024 with the 28-year-old Mexican emerging victorious.

A victory against Zarazua will send Eala to a dream match against world No. 1 Serena Williams of the United States.

Officially coming out of retirement earlier this month, Williams received a wildcard entry and will take on 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round.

The 44-year-old Williams is competing in her first Grand Slam match since her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open.

Eala recently partnered with Serena’s older sister Venus in the doubles competition of the Bad Homburg Open in Germany.

Eala and Venus won their Round of 16 assignment against Australian Alexandra Osborne and American Catherine Osborne, 6-3, 6-4, before losing in the quarterfinals versus Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia and Olivia Nicholls of Great Britain, 3-6, 2-6..(CCM)