A Filipina steals the spotlight in “Dubai Tennis”… makes history and threatens the American Coco

The young Filipino star, Alexandra Aila, continued her brilliance in the “Dubai Tennis Championship” for professional women’s players, after qualifying for the quarter-finals, by defeating the Romanian veteran Sorata Cristea, ranked 32nd in the world, in two sets without a response (7-5, 6-4), within the tournament currently held at the main stadium in the “Dubai Duty Free” courts in the Al Garhoud area in Dubai, and extending until February 21 of this year, and classified in the 1000 points category, With a total prize pool of $4.08 million.
Ella continues to write history in the records of Dubai Tennis for professional female players, as she is the first Filipino player to record her historic presence in the tournament, which celebrated the launch of its 26th edition last Saturday.
In the next round, Ella will face American Coco Gauff, ranked fourth in the world, in a confrontation that is considered a real test for the 20-year-old rising Filipino star, who qualified for the quarter-finals by eliminating the 2024 Dubai Tennis champion, Italian Jasmine Paolini, ranked eighth in the world.
It is noteworthy that Ella made history three years ago in the world of yellow ball, when she became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam junior tournament title, by winning the US Open title. This year, she also became the first Filipino player to enter the list of the best 40 players in the world.