Alex Eala has ‘plateaued’ after her big breakthrough at the top of women’s tennis, according to former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski. Eala failed to pick up her first win at Roland Garros as she lost 6-4, 6-2 against 17th seed Jovic on Tuesday, leaving the Filipina star down at No 35 in the live WTA Rankings.
After an impressive initial breakthrough that included a run to the Miami Open semi-finals last year, Eala was being hyped as one of the ‘next big things’ in women’s tennis, but she has struggled to maintain her momentum in recent months. Now she has been given some calming words of support from Rusedski, as he suggested Eala will need to be patient to build her game to a level that will allow her to compete at the top consistently.
“Players come through and then they plateau a little bit and then you gotta work on other areas of your game,” Rusedski said on his podcast. More Tennis News What is Alex Eala’s WTA ranking after French Open exit and when is her next tournament?
WTA French Open: Points being dropped by Gauff, Sabalenka, Swiatek, Rybakina, Raducanu, Eala “It’s putting in the hours that matter and becoming a better all-around player. “And if you look at Eala, you look at the serve.
It needs to have a little bit more pop so she can get onto the front foot. You know, and if she can get a little bit more pop, a little bit more accuracy, that gets her in the rally.
“And just getting a little bit more beef on her shots, but this is where the coaching team around her. “She’s got a good group of people around her.
She has Rafa Nadal as a guy who kind of mentors her as well. “So I’m sure they’re having the right discussions to develop those areas.
But it’s also very hard to do that work when you’re in a major or in a tournament. And that’s where you have a little bit of a gap and you have to keep continually working.” Meanwhile, Eala has entered the debate over prize money in tennis, with many of the game’s top stars demanding more from tournaments like the French Open.
“Well, of course, I have also gone through the different stages and I think all of the players here in Roland Garros, or in the Grand Slams, have gone through the different stages of competing in the Futures,” said Eala. “I think we all just want to leave tennis better than we found it and I think that’s why the top 10 players are doing this, and I really appreciate and I admire that they’re standing up for everyone basically.
“I think being at the top of the, game they represent a lot. They represent the players, so I appreciate that.
I think there are so many factors. I don’t know how Roland Garros is run.
“I don’t know the specifics and I don’t know the finances, especially, but I do think I am on the players’ side sand I will always be on the players’ side. “I think we really need to appreciate the hard work that we go through.
I know the work that needs to be put in to get at this level. So, I really appreciate what the top 10 are doing.” Want more from Tennis365?
Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust. Eala will now turn her attention to grass courts, with the Birmingham Open next on her agenda next week.
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