TENNIS: Alex Eala, Iva Jovic outclass Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina in ASB Classic

It's a battle of the generations where the hungrier young guns prevailed over the old guards. Twenty-year-old Filipina Alex Eala and 18-year-old American Iva Jovic trounced former world number one Venus Williams of the US and former world number three Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, 7-6, 6-1 on Monday, January 5.

Eala and Jovic raced ahead to 2-0 in the first set but the 45-year-old Williams and the 31-year-old Svitolina held their composure, rallied and led the set at 5-3. Eala and Jovic fought back to tie the set at 5-5. Williams and Svitolina soldiered on but the youngsters dug deep and closed the set with a 7(9)-6 victory.

“There was a great first set and you get the momentum after that,” Eala said on the ABS Classic official website.  She added, “But it's so easy to kind of crash, and I think we did a good job of keeping each other's energy." The second set was an entirely different story. The youthful duo of Eala and Jovic hardly broke a sweat and gave up only one game, as Williams and Svitolina struggled to keep pace. The pair will proceed to the quarterfinals against the winner of the match between Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffee, and Jesika Malekova and Renata Zarazua.

Venus Williams is one of the most decorated tennis players in history. She won her third of five Wimbledon singles trophies in 2005, the year Eala was born.

Riz Pulumbarit/PARALUMAN NEWS