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Jackass Forever catapults to No. 1 in US as Moonfall craters

A SCENE from the film Jackass Forever — © 2021 PARAMOUNT PICTURES/IMDB.COM

LOS ANGELES — After living through a pandemic for nearly two years, Americans, as it turns out, were in desperate need of a laugh.

That may explain why Paramount’s go-for-broke action comedy Jackass Forever triumphed at the domestic box office while Roland Emmerich’s disaster epic Moonfall turned into an epic disaster.

Jackass Forever, the fourth installment in the ongoing saga of projectiles to the groin, collected $23 million from 3,604 North American locations in its debut, landing on the higher end of expectations. The latest Jackass, starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man and other daredevils from MTV days, had been widely expected to win the weekend, but its victory is still surprising and impressive because it has been some time since a pure comedy has claimed the top spot on box office charts. In catapulting to first place, Jackass Forever finally took down reigning champion Spider-Man: No Way Home, which has spent six of the last seven weeks at No. 1.

Jackass Forever has been a (unexpected?) hit with critics, notching a strong 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and B+ CinemaScore from audience members. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman had positive things to say, writing in his review that “Johnny Knoxville and company are now middle aged, but that hasn’t slowed their juvenile masochistic fervor.” And with a $10 million production budget, Jackass Forever will be laughing all the way to the bank.

“It’s extremely hard to keep it fresh and funny for this long, but Jackass is doing that,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “At a cost of only $10 million, the film is going to be very profitable.”

Moonfall, the weekend’s other new nationwide release, has less to celebrate. The science-fiction catastrophe film crash-landed on the lower end of projections, bringing in $10.1 million from 3,446 venues. Those ticket sales are potentially problematic because Moonfall cost $140 million to produce, making it one of the most expensive independent films in history. Commercial sentiment may not help; moviegoers stuck the film with an unenthusiastic C+ CinemaScore. Unless the movie becomes a huge hit overseas, Moonfall likely will not become a financial success.

Mr. Emmerich, having turned Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012 into commercial cash-cows, had once been the premier chronicler of big-budget catastrophe. But in the case of Moonfall, which stars Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Pena, and Donald Sutherland and centers on efforts to prevent the moon from colliding with Earth, his movies aren’t offering the kind of stress-free escapism that pandemic-fatigued audiences are looking for.

“At the moment, with the world coming apart in real time, who wants to sit through a disaster story? It’s more fun to laugh at Jackass,” says Mr. Gross. — Reuters

Teams crank up in reinforcing roster ahead of PBA resumption

MAGNOLIA Hotshots pick up Adrian Wong from the free agent pool. — PBA IMAGES

By Olmin Leyba

TEAMS step up in bolstering their respective personnel ahead of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup resumption on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Pacesetting Magnolia picked up Adrian Wong from the free agent pool to link up with backcourt regulars Mark Barroca, Paul Lee and Jio Jalalon in its bid to sustain the momentum of its 3-0 start in the import-spiced tournament.

Mr. Wong agreed to a two-year deal with the Hotshots on Monday after spending the first two seasons of his pro career with Rain or Shine.

The Elasto Painters (2-3) themselves welcomed a fresh signing days before the games’ resumption, inking former Gilas Pilipinas mainstay Mike Nieto to a two-year contract.

Alaska (3-2) enlisted free agent big man Bryan Faundo for its Governors’ Cup campaign even as it hopes to come to terms with its 2019 Gilas draft pick Allyn Bulanadi.

Skidding Blackwater got Gilas selection Rey Suerte on board by giving him a two-year pact. The Bossing aim to snap out of a 0-5 card in the tournament and a record 24-game losing skid dating back to the 2020 Philippine Cup with a new import, Shawn Glover.

The pro league brings the action back after more than a month of stoppage due to the spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

Initial action will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum up until Feb. 20. Then the games will move to the Ynares Center in Antipolo when the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers takes place from Feb. 24-28 at the Big Dome.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said they hope to accommodate fans again when the league returns to Ynares-Antipolo after two years.

The PBA last played at the Antipolo venue on Dec. 29, 2019 featuring the deciding game of the Governors’ Cup semifinal series between TnT and Meralco. The Bolts won that rubbermatch, 89-78, to advance to the finals.

T-bills fully awarded as yields move sideways

BW FILE PHOTO

THE GOVERNMENT made a full award of the Treasury bills (T-bills) it auctioned off on Monday as rates moved sideways amid steady demand from the market.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) raised P15 billion as planned via the T-bills it auctioned off on Monday as total tenders reached P53.75 billion, more than three times the initial offer.

However, Monday’s bids were slightly lower than the P59.77 billion seen last week.

Broken down, the Treasury bureau raised P5 billion as planned via the 91-day securities from P14.73 billion in bids. The three-month debt papers fetched an average rate of 0.71%, up 1.9 basis points (bps) from the 0.691% seen last week.

The BTr also borrowed P5 billion as planned from the 182-day securities it offered on Monday from P21.46 billion in tenders. The average rate of the six-month T-bills slipped by 0.1 bp to 1.022% from 1.023% previously.

Lastly, the government made a full P5-billion award of the 364-day debt papers as bids reached P17.56 billion. The average yield on the one-year instrument stood at 1.408%, the same rate seen last week.

At the secondary market prior to the auction on Monday, the 91- 182- and 364-day T-bills were quoted at 0.7497%, 1.1249%, and 1.4394%, respectively, based on the PHP Bloomberg Valuation Reference Rates published on the Philippine Dealing System’s website.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said in a Viber message to reporters that demand for Monday’s T-bill offer was strong as P20 billion in maturities boosted liquidity in the system.

Meanwhile, a bond trader said in a phone interview that rates moved sideways due to a lack of catalysts.

Factors that could move yields, such as inflation data released last week, had already been priced in by the market, the trader added.

Inflation slowed to 3% in January, the fifth straight month of deceleration, as housing and utilities prices eased, preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

This was slower than both the 3.2% in December and the 3.7% in January last year.

The BTr plans to raise P200 billion from the domestic market this month, or P60 billion via T-bills and P140 billion from Treasury bonds.

The government borrows from local and external sources to help fund a budget deficit capped at 7.7% of gross domestic product this year. — J.P. Ibañez

GMA Network says labor complaint junked

BW FILE PHOTO

GMA Network, Inc. announced on Monday that the labor complaint filed against the company and its video suppliers had been dismissed by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

“The Sixth Division of the NLRC in Quezon City affirmed its 29 Dec. 2020 decision dismissing the complaint against CMB Film Services, Shoot Digital Video Company, and GMA Network, Inc.,” the listed media company said in an e-mailed statement.

“The case involved 25 workers of CMB, an accredited lights and video equipment supplier of GMA, who filed regularization, money claims, and illegal deductions complaint against CMB, Shoot Digital Video Company, and GMA,” it added.

GMA said the complaint filed against the media company was dismissed “for lack of merit” after it was found that the complainants were CMB employees.

Complainants and CMB filed their respective appeals to the NLRC.

But the NLRC denied the complainants’ appeal, the network said.

“It granted the partial appeal of CMB since no substantial evidence was found to prove an employer-employee relationship between CMB and the complainants.”

“In the Resolution dated 29 Dec. 2020, the NLRC ruled that the ‘complainants’ appeal is denied while respondents CMB Films Services, Inc. and Shoot Digital Video Company’s partial appeal is granted. The said NLRC Decision became final and executory on 4 July 2021,” it added.

The NLRC is a quasi-judicial body tasked to promote and maintain industrial peace by resolving labor and management disputes involving both local and overseas workers through compulsory arbitration and alternative modes of dispute resolution. It is attached to the Department of Labor and Employment for program and policy coordination. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Banks leave BSP’s rediscount facility untouched in Jan. amid ample liquidity

LENDERS did not tap the rediscount window of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in January amid the extended implementation of regulatory relief measures.

“There were no availments against the rediscounting lines of banks with the BSP under the peso rediscount facility and the Exporters’ Dollar and Yen Rediscount Facility (EDYRF) for the period covering Jan. 1 to 31,” the central bank said in a statement.

In 2021, lenders only tapped the rediscount facility in June, July and September. These peso rediscount loans amounted to P6.12 million.

Last year’s rediscount loans were significantly smaller than the P26.9 billion in 2020.

The rediscount facility of the BSP gives banks access to additional money supply by posting their collectibles from clients as collateral.

Banks may use the cash denominated in peso, dollar or yen denominations to extend credit to corporate or retail clients and service unexpected withdrawals.

The rediscount facility was untouched in January as there is still excess liquidity in the system, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

“The extension of various regulatory relief measures would have reduced the need for banks to tap the BSP Rediscounting facilities,” he added.

Last month, the BSP announced that the implementation of some regulatory relief measures for banks during the pandemic will be extended until the end of the year. Among these are the reduction of credit risk weight for affected micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, the 30% single borrowers’ limit, and the lower 16% minimum liquidity ratio for smaller banks.

The BSP infused about P2.3 trillion in liquidity to the financial system amid the crisis through various easing measures. This is equivalent to about 12.5% of the gross domestic product.

For this month, the BSP said peso rediscount loans will be priced at 2.5%, regardless of maturity.

Meanwhile, applicable rates for credit tapped under the EDYRF will be at 2.30886% and 1.97937% for dollar- and yen-denominated borrowings. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

RLC, DMCI team up for Las Piñas condo

ROBINSONS LAND Corp. (RLC) and DMCI Homes have partnered to develop a condominium project in Las Piñas City.

Sonora Garden Residences is a 1.45-hectare project within Robinsons Place Las Piñas complex along Alabang-Zapote Road. It will have three buildings — Cadence, Liran, and Stellan — that will offer unit cuts ranging from 28 to 81.5 square meters (sq.m.) with balcony.

It will also adopt DMCI Homes’ Lumiventt Technology healthy building design, which cuts electricity usage and uses cross-ventilation and natural illumination.

Around 70% of the project’s land area is devoted to open spaces, gardens, and various resort-inspired amenities such as pools, gym, basketball court and play area.

The condominium will have facilities like high-speed elevators, card-operated laundry system, convenience store, and water station.

Units at Sonora Garden Residences are now pre-selling at P4 million onwards.

Bollywood singer Lata Mangeshkar given state funeral

Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar — EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

MUMBAI — Lata Mangeshkar, one of India’s best known cultural icons and a singer who defined music for generations of her countrymen, died on Sunday and was given a state funeral as politicians and personalities united in mourning.

Ms. Mangeshkar, 92, made her name in the world of Bollywood and her voice has rung out on television sets, on crackly airwaves and from movie theaters for most of independent India’s three quarters of a century, earning her the name “the Nightingale.”

“I am anguished beyond words,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter. “She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled.”

Mr. Modi joined mourners at a packed open air state funeral late on Sunday after her body, wrapped in the Indian flag, had been paraded through the streets of her home city Mumbai on a truck decorated with flowers.

Thousands of people gathered round Shivaji Park, where she was cremated, climbing walls and trees to get a glimpse of the proceedings and pay their own respects however they could, despite police erecting barricades and restricting public entry.

The government will observe state mourning with the flag at half-mast through Monday, the Home Ministry said.

Ms. Mangeshkar died of “multi-organ failure after more than 28 days of hospitalization post COVID-19,” said Pratit Samdani, who was treating her at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, according to Reuters TV partner ANI.

“The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerize people,” Mr. Modi wrote.

Other Bollywood personalities and politicians also paid their tributes. “The voice of a million centuries has left us,” veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan said.

Maharashtra, Ms. Mangeshkar’s home state, declared a public holiday on Monday. India’s central bank rescheduled its monetary policy committee meeting by a day to Feb. 8-10 due to the holiday. The policy decision is now expected on Thursday.

The state of West Bengal declared a half-day holiday and urged the administration to play Ms. Mangeshkar’s songs at important crossings all over the state for 15 days.

The Indian Cricket Team wore black armbands as they kicked off the first of three one-dayers against the West Indies. Former Indian captain Virat Kohli said her songs had touched people around the world. Another former captain, Sachin Tendulkar, was among those at the funeral.

‘A GIFT FROM GOD’
Born in 1929 in pre-independence India, Ms. Mangeshkar began singing in her teens, and in a career spanning 73 years sang more than an estimated 15,000 songs in 36 languages.

She enthralled music-mad Indians with her lilting voice and sheer range, singing everything from patriotic songs to romantic numbers, both in films and albums.

The world of Bollywood — where movies were unthinkable without at least six songs and where everything from romance to grief was narrated with the help of a ballad — was where Ms. Mangeshkar cut her teeth.

Classically trained, Ms. Mangeshkar molded her voice to the demands of singing for Bollywood movies, even voicing songs in her 60s for an actress who was in her 20s.

Her songs motivated millions of Indians during wars with China and Pakistan to pay homage to the defense forces. Some of her songs are used as prayers in temples, shrines, and schools.

“My voice is a gift from God,” she once told an interviewer. “I learned to emote through my voice. When I sang a lullaby, I became a mother, when it was a romantic song, I was a lover.”

The only songs she refused to sing were cabaret numbers and songs that had bawdy or racy lyrics, saying those did not fit with her personal values. Ms. Mangeshkar, nevertheless, dominated the Hindi film industry for almost five decades until the 2000s, along with her younger sister Asha Bhosle.

Detractors accused her of using her Bollywood clout to limit the entry of newcomers. Her influence was such that Mumbai authorities in 2006 scrapped a planned highway flyover after she objected that it would disturb her privacy.

Known for soft-spoken nature and wearing a sari, her hair in two schoolgirl-like braids, Mangeshkar received India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001. She was awarded France’s highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honour, in 2009.

“Music is incomplete without your voice,” actor Amitabh Bachchan said of Ms. Mangeshkar in 2019, commemorating her 90th birthday. “It has done the work of saints.” — Reuters

Pacatiw looks forward to match versus Andrade

JEREMY ‘THE JUGGERNAUT’ PACATIW — ONE CHAMPIONSHIP

JEREMY “The Juggernaut” Pacatiw didn’t waste time showcasing his worth in ONE Championship, and he intends to maintain his momentum at “ONE: FULL CIRCLE.” The Filipino bantamweight returns to the Circle on Feb. 25 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium as he looks to remain unbeaten in ONE when he faces Fabricio “Wonder Boy” Andrade.

Ecstatic as he may be for this bout, Mr. Pacatiw understands the threats that the Brazilian fighter presents against him.

“I’d say that my upcoming fight with Fabricio Andrade will be the most ambitious pursuit I have in my career as I get a chance to face a ranked fighter,” Mr. Pacatiw said.

Mr. Andrade, indeed, has proven himself in the bantamweight division as he sits at No. 4 in the official rankings thanks to his five-fight win streak.

“Wonder Boy” has been clinical in his approach and, showing his lethal fists in his most recent outing, where he scored a first round technical knockout win over “The Underdog” Li Kai Wen at “ONE: WINTER WARRIORS II” last December.

But Mr. Pacatiw has also proven that he can hold a candle against the best in the division and deserves to be treated with more respect.

The Team Lakay stalwart turned in a dominant performance in his unanimous decision victory over Chen “The Ghost” Rui at “ONE: BATTLEGROUND” back in July — a proper introduction for “The Juggernaut” in ONE Championship.

Team Lakay head coach and founder Mark Sangiao understands that his ward is coming in as a massive underdog against Mr. Andrade, but he knows that fights are won on the canvas and not on paper.

“Fabricio Andrade is carrying five wins in a row to his name and we’re not glossing this over. But we’re also not selling Jeremy Pacatiw short. Our Team Lakay athlete will take great strides to the cage with only one goal, to put his name into that top-flight rankings,” Mr. Sangiao said.

Mr. Pacatiw also knows that, and looks at this bout as a chance for him to indeed show that he’s arrived in the bantamweight scene and that he’s ready to become the latest contender from Baguio to stake his case for a title shot — in the same breath of his peers.

“Getting that win will definitely draw me closer to the top. Indeed, this is another opportunity for me to unleash my skills and I can’t wait!” Mr. Pacatiw said.

ONE: FULL CIRCLE will see three world titles being contested, headlined by two-division ONE World Champion Reinier “The Dutch Knight” de Ridder defending his middleweight crown against the current ONE welterweight world champion Kiamrian “Brazen” Abbasov.

Indonesian firm, partners launch plastic waste management drive

INDONESIAN food and beverage company PT Mayora Indah Group announced that it partnered with Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) and Green Antz Builders, Inc. to launch plastic waste management initiatives.

“With the help of PCX and Green Antz, the Mayora Group equips communities with the right resources not only to promote sustainability, but also, create livelihood opportunities and upgrade local road safety protocols,” the company said in a media release.

The projects will involve plastic waste collection, processing, and recycling, as well as introducing new interactive avenues to improve garbage collection systems.

Green technology company Green Antz will be in charge of the upcycling of plastic waste into bollards to be used by the residents of the cities of Manila and Pasay. Up to 800 shredded plastic laminated bollards were donated to Pasay City.

Mayora Group and PCX also tapped sari-sari store owners to help in the collection of trash using refurbished container vans, which act as a hub and storage for the collected plastic waste.

Since 2019, PCX has diverted about 20 million kilograms of plastic waste from the oceans through partnerships with private and public sectors.

The Mayora Group will join PCX in providing micro-enterprises with opportunities to expand their network within the communities. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

Entertainment News (02/08/22)

2021’s most-watched comedy: Pepito Manaloto

GMA NETWORK’s long-running Saturday family sitcom Pepito Manaloto is the No. 1 comedy program based on Nielsen Philippines’ official data for 2021. The sitcom recorded an average people rating of 13.2% in National Urban Philippines for the full year of 2021. Since 2010, it has entertained viewers with inspiring and relatable content. Pepito Manaloto is the brainchild of concept creator, creative director, and three-time Asian TV Awards Best Comedy Actor Michael V. It follows the rags-to-riches journey of an ordinary person, Pepito (Michael V.), who was blessed with extraordinary luck after winning the lottery. Last year, a prequel to its story started airing, Ang Unang Kuwento, chronicling the love story of young Elsa and Pepito in their teenage years from how and where it all began as teens. It airs every Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on GMA.

Marry Me in PHL cinemas on Feb. 9

TWO TOTAL strangers agree to marry and get to know each other in the film Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. Pop superstar Kat Valdez (Lopez) is about to get married before an audience of her loyal fans. However, seconds before the ceremony, she learns about her fiance’s (Maluma) cheating ways and has a meltdown on stage. In a moment of inspired insanity, Kat locks eyes with a total stranger in the crowd (Wilson) and marries him on the spot. As forces conspire to separate the unlikely newlyweds, they must soon decide if two people from such different worlds can find true love together. Marry Me opens in local cinemas on Feb. 9.

ABS-CBN shows go global

MORE ABS-CBN shows are going international this year, including New Beginnings and Asintado, which are showing in African territories, and, La Vida Lena and Mirabilia in Myanmar. New Beginnings, known locally as Bagong Umaga, is the latest ABS-CBN show to be shown in Africa, airing in over 41 countries including Kenya, Ghana, and Madagascar via the StarTimes channel. Following positive reviews and good ratings in La Réunion via ART for its French-dubbed version, the show also began airing in one of Ivory Coast’s best-known French language stations, RTI 2. In Myanmar, ABS-CBN’s series Deceptive Revenge (known in Burma as Maya Galeisar; known in the Philippines as La Vida Lena) premiered on Jan. 31 on Fortune TV. Meanwhile, the hit inspirational series Mirabilia (Burmese title Sann Kyae Thaww Kan Kyamar; known locally as Huwag Kang Mangamba) made its final run on Fortune TV, after debuting in Nov. 2021. Aside from African and Asian countries, ABS-CBN programs have also made waves in Latin America where the 2015 version of Pangako Sa ‘Yo aired in Ecuador, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. ABS-CBN has been a source of Filipino programming in over 50 territories worldwide and has sold over 50,000 hours of content worldwide.

2021 MMFF titles now on KTX.ph

THREE of the 2021 METRO Manila Film Festival (MMFF) films premiere on KTX.ph this February. Carlo Matatad’s film Whether The Weather is Fine, starring MMFF Best Actress Charo Santos and Daniel Padilla, will be available on KTX.ph from Feb. 9 to 13. Set in Tacloban after it was hit by typhoon Yolanda, Miguel (Padilla), his mother Norma (Santos), and his friend Andrea (Rans Rifol) struggle for survival. Love at First Stream, which streams on Feb. 8 to 13, follows four teenagers explore love and friendships online to escape their realities offline. Huwag Kang Lalabas is a horror anthology whose three stories have a common theme: Do not leave or go outside. It streams from Feb. 9 to 12. The three movies are priced at P249 each. Aside from the films, the fan conference of PBB Kumunity Season 10 celebrity housemates KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad will also air on KTX.ph. The digital fan conference, called Closer, will stream on Feb. 26. SVIP and VIP tickets are sold out but regular tickets, priced at P199, are still available. Finally, the re-run of One Dream: The BINI X BGYO concert will stream on Feb. 12 and 13. For more information on the programs and to book tickets, visit www.ktx.ph.

GMA Network wins silver at Singapore awards

IN a virtual awarding ceremony of the Singapore-based Marketing Excellence Awards 2021 on Jan. 28, GMA Network’s DepEd TV on GMA bagged the Silver Award in the Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility category. The network provided nationwide airtime via one of its digital channels to the Department of Education (DepEd). This aimed to support DepEd’s initiatives on blended learning in view of the ongoing pandemic. DepEd TV on GMA enabled students from kindergarten to Grade 10 to attend classes at home via their TV sets, reaching as many students as possible through GMA’s extensive coverage all over the country. The DepEd TV channel can be accessed via GMA’s digital TV receivers GMA Affordabox and GMA Now. GMA’s GMAsk Campaign was also shortlisted in the same category while GMA Makulay ang Buhay, a campaign in partnership with Knorr-Unilever Philippines, made it to the finalists under the Excellence in Content Marketing category.

Amaia Scapes rises in Bulacan

AMAIA LAND is developing a 20.4-hectare residential estate in Sta. Cruz, Bulacan.

Amaia Scapes Bulacan is located along the Sta. Maria-Pandi Road in Barangay Manggahan, Sta. Cruz.

The developer is offering a new Single Home 80 model, which is a three-bedroom unit with an average floor area of 80 square meters (sq.m.) and a lot area of 100 sq.m.

Other options include Multi-Pod (approximately 28 sq.m. floor area); Bungalow Pod (approximately 34 sq.m. floor area); Twin Pod (approximately 56 sq.m. floor area); Twin Homes (approximately 47 sq.m. floor area); Bungalow Pod New Gen (approximately 31 sq.m. floor area); and Starter Homes (approximately 50 sq.m. floor area).

Amenities include a swimming pool, multi-purpose hall, basketball court, village pavilion, play area, and green spaces.

The property is near the NLEX Bocaue exit and the Skyway Stage 3.

Eala beats Truong, 6-3 6-2, for good start in W60 Grenoble

FILIPINA TENNIS ACE ALEX EALA — ALEX EALA FB

FILIPINA tennis pride Alex M. Eala whipped home bet Thanh Lan Truong with a 6-3, 6-2 victory for a good start in her third event this year in the W60 Grenoble qualifying round in France.

Motivated by exits in her first two events in Spain, Ms. Eala was on target this time to arrange a second-round duel against Italy’s Stefania Rubini.

The winner gains a ticket to the main draw of the prestigious $60,000 French tilt, where a slew of top-300 players from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking are already seeded.

Ms. Eala was booted out in the W25 Manacor third leg last week at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain where she’s a scholar.  She pulled out in the second leg due to sickness after falling short in the finals of the first leg qualifiers last month.

Her recent struggles dragged her down to No. 587 of the WTA list released on Monday from No. 526 to start the year. In France, she’s out for a big rebound.

Ms. Eala is at No. 12 of the world junior rankings though she’s yet to play in any junior play this year to focus in the women’s professional circuit. — John Bryan Ulanday

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