Alexandra Eala told there’s one ‘big thing’ she must fix to break into WTA top 10
· Yahoo Sports
Alex Eala will be aiming to move back up the WTA rankings when she heads to the Linz Open next week.
The Filipina has had an impressive season so far, picking up wins over players like Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini.
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But her momentum was halted in Miami, where Karolina Muchova handed her a heavy defeat in the fourth round.
The loss saw her drop 16 spots to world number 45, a setback she’ll be looking to address quickly.
If Eala wants to keep climbing the rankings, there are definitely some aspects of her game that could use tightening up. One of them is her serve. She sometimes struggles with consistency and speed, which can put her on the back foot early in points.
Andrea Petkovic says Alex Eala must improve her serve in order to reach the WTA top 10
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesAndrea Petkovic, the former world number nine, talked about Eala’s recent form while speaking with former top 20 player Alison Riske-Amritraj.
The pair spoke on the Big T Podcast, where both pointed out that Eala’s serve needed some attention.
“I think it’s one thing and unfortunately it’s a big thing: the serve,” said Petkovic [pictured below]. “We have seen what she can do when she has a good serving week, which was in Dubai for example.
“She served over 60 per cent first serves and was hitting her spots, and then she can basically do anything because she can beat anybody, she takes the ball so early and returns amazingly.
“But in the year and a half that I have watched her now, her serve is very inconsistent. She has those weeks where she can’t make first serves and the second is very attackable.
“Against the big hitters like Sabalenka, Rybakina and even Coco Gauff, who returns so well, it is going to be really difficult to defend your serve, despite her being one of the best returners in the game.
“I think that is the one thing and then the sky has no limit.”
Eala has been praised for taking time away from opponents with an aggressive returning style reminiscent of Andre Agassi during his prime.
Alex Eala’s serve remains a key issue in her quest for the Top 10
While her serve remains a clear issue, it also puts into perspective just how strong the other parts of her game are.
Even with that weakness, she’s managed to hold her own against the top players on Tour. In the past year alone, she’s picked up wins over Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys.
Ideally, she’d have a more reliable serve to round out her game. Without it, breaking through to win major titles will be an uphill climb.
Eala will have another chance to show what she can do at next week’s Linz Open, where she’ll face a field that includes Ekaterina Alexandrova and Katie Boulter.
This will be Eala’s first appearance at Linz, with the tournament kicking off on April 6.
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