Caty McNally Makes Candid Admission Before Sold-Out Alex Eala Clash
· Yahoo Sports
Caty McNally knows where the noise will be directed when she walks onto Centre Court against Alex Eala at the National Bank Open.
Her challenge is not to pretend otherwise.
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The American advanced to a third-round meeting with Eala by upsetting reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, recovering from a 5-1 deficit in the opening set before controlling the second. It was a victory built on patience, variation and an acceptance that the match would feel uncomfortable before it felt manageable.
“I just kept my energy up and tried to play one point at a time,” McNally told ABS-CBN reporter Dyan Castillejo. “I think that was the biggest thing: sticking to my routines and playing my game.”
Those routines will receive a far different test against Eala.
The Filipino star’s match has sold out Centre Court at Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium, continuing a remarkable surge in support after her first WTA title in Washington. Tournament director Karl Hale said Eala had generated upward of 5,000 ticket sales, making the 2,800-seat Grandstand court too small for her Canadian Open appearance.
McNally Plans to Embrace Alex Eala Crowd
McNally understands that most of those spectators will arrive wearing Eala’s colors and carrying Philippine flags. She nevertheless described the assignment as a “win-win,” viewing the atmosphere as an experience that can sharpen her mental game.
“What she’s doing for tennis is unreal and selling out stadiums,” McNally said. “Hopefully, it’s a great crowd and a good atmosphere, and I can enjoy it.”
McNally intends to lean on variety against Eala’s left-handed baseline game. She can change speeds, attack the net and disrupt rhythm more naturally than many players on tour. The objective, she said, is to dictate play “on my terms.”
There is also a delicate psychological balance. McNally wants to block out enough noise to preserve her routines without becoming so insulated that she misses the occasion.
“Part of me wants to accept what’s going on around and enjoy it and take it in,” she said. “It’s a great experience.”
Eala arrives with considerable momentum. She defeated Alycia Parks in her Toronto opener after completing a historic run in Washington, where she rallied past Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to become the first Filipino player to win a WTA singles title.
Serena Williams Match Prepared McNally for Spotlight
McNally has stood inside a packed stadium opposite a far more popular opponent before.
At 17, she faced Serena Williams under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the second round of the 2019 U.S. Open. McNally stunned the six-time champion by winning the first set and even raised her arms to encourage more noise from a crowd that had arrived primarily to support Williams.
Williams eventually recovered to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, but McNally’s composure left an impression.
“She showed no fear,” Williams said afterward.
Seven years later, McNally will need that same nerve against Eala. The crowd may belong to the Filipino star, but McNally has already learned that an opponent’s support can become energy rather than resistance.
She will not try to silence Toronto. She will try to play through its roar.
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