Alex Eala loses to Arango in French Open opener

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala lost her first-round match at the French Open to Colombian player Emiliana Arango in a three-set defeat on Sunday.

Eala struggled initially and fell behind early in the third set, eventually losing 0-6, 6-2, 3-6 after an hour and 46 minutes of play.

Despite finding her rhythm in the second set following a weather delay, Eala could not sustain it against Arango's strong performance.

Arango dominated long rallies and capitalized on Eala's 44 unforced errors to secure victory.

Eala had previously made history as the first Filipina to compete in a Grand Slam and gained attention for her run to the semifinals at the Miami Open earlier this year.

Arango will now face Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the second round, while Eala's record against Arango is now 0-2. Additionally, Eala will compete in the French Open doubles with Mexican partner Renata Zarazua on Wednesday evening (Manila time).