TENNIS analyst Rennae Stubbs believes Alexandra Eala possesses the talent to become a Grand Slam champion, but said the Filipina’s serve remains the biggest obstacle to achieving that goal.
Stubbs, a former Grand Slam doubles champion, pointed to Eala’s serve as the area that still needs significant improvement despite the 21-year-old’s rapid rise on the WTA Tour.
“Eala’s serve is just never going to win her a Slam,” Stubbs said in an interview.
While identifying that weakness, Stubbs also praised Eala’s overall game and mental approach, saying the Filipina has the qualities needed to compete with the world’s best.
“Not only can she hit the ball huge, and she has a massive first serve, she just believes in herself internally. She does not show it; she is not overly outwardly cocky, but I think she has the game a little bit more than [Alex] Eala.”
Stubbs compared Eala’s situation to that of former world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, who enjoyed a successful career despite not relying on a dominant serve, but maintained that it remains the key factor holding the Filipina back.
“I know you can say the same thing about Angie Kerber, but I just feel like that’s what’s holding her back.”
Despite her assessment, Stubbs believes Eala has ample time to address that aspect of her game as she continues to develop on the professional circuit.
Eala has been enjoying a breakout campaign, highlighted by victories over several top-ranked opponents. She recently reached the quarterfinals of the Mubadala DC Open after back-to-back wins over Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen and Canadian-Filipina Leylah Fernandez. (Adrian Co)
