Alexandra Eala was among the players to be disappointed early in Melbourne after she lost her opening match at the Australian Open.
World number 49 Eala was beaten 6-0, 3-6, 2-6 by American Alycia Parks in the first round of the Australian Open.
But perhaps more noteworthy than the match itself was the huge crowds which gathered to watch fan favorite Eala in action.
The first round clash took place on Court 6 at Melbourne Park, with her followers making huge noise after packing into the venue, while many more watched on the screens around the grounds.
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The Australian Open should have given Alexandra Eala a bigger court
Of course, planning a Grand Slam schedule is not an easy feat, particularly with the constant variables at play.
But Australian Open organisers could have at least anticipated the mega following Eala would be in for, particularly in her first match.
In that regard, the WTA Tour rising star should have definitely been playing her opener on a show court at Melbourne Park.
Eala has proven more popular than Carlos Alcaraz lately, with her pre-tournament press conference currently at 175,000 views on the Australian Open’s YouTube channel.
It is a lesson that organisers of the Grand Slam, and indeed the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, can undoubtedly learn from going forward.
Alexandra Eala has another chance at Australian Open glory
Intriguingly, Eala still has a chance at Australian Open success, and fans have another chance of seeing her in action.
The Filipina ace has committed to playing doubles at the tournament, linking up with Brazilian Ingrid Martins.
The pair have been drawn to face Magda Linette and Shuko Aoyama in the first round, with the meeting interestingly set to take place on Court 12.
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Huge crowds can be expected for the match once again, with Eala set to be desperate to right her wrongs from singles.
It remains to be seen how that will go, but one certainty is that she is one of the biggest stars in tennis right now, despite only being 20 years old.
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