Filipino tennis players Alex Eala and Niño Alcantara are off to a winning start in their bid for gold in the mixed doubles competition of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.
The pair swept Singapore's Daniel Abadia and Wei Choo, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinal on Monday to assure themselves of at least a bronze.
"We're just having fun like what we did in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, we're having fun, enjoying the game," said Alcantara, who won a bronze medal with Eala in the 2022 Asiad in China.
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Alcantara says he and Eala are "super comfortable" with each other, especially as he has watched Eala's progress from her early days in the local courts in Manila to the global stage.
"We can joke around and talk about whatever strategies we want," he said.
Eala, for her part, says she has "grown quite a bit" since she first teamed up with Alcantara in the Asian Games.
"[I've] matured both on-court and off-court so I hope that gives Kuya Nins a little bit more wiggle room. I feel very comfortable in the partnership, 'cause I've known him for so long," she also said.
Eala and Alcantara will play in the semifinals on Wednesday.