Alex Eala reaffirmed her mastery over Spaniard qualifier Alba Carillo Marin with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory to jumpstart her title bid in the W25 Platja D’Aro tournament in Spain Wednesday, May 19.
Eala, who turns 16 on Sunday, needed a little over three hours in outplaying Marin to advance to the second round of the $25,000 event.
The win arranged her a meeting with another Spaniard in Irene Burillo Escorihuela, who pulled off a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 upset triumph over seventh seed Simona Walter of Switzerland.
This is the third time Eala faced Marin since turning professional last year, having won their previous two matchups at the W15 Manacor in January and the W15 Castellon last November.
Eala overcame nine double faults against Marin and stepped on her game in the deciding frame where the Filipina rose from a 5-4 deficit to match victory.
She won nine break points out of 16.
Eala expects another tough match against the 23-year-old Escorihuela, who is currently ranked No. 265 against the PH bets’ 659.
Escorihuela also boasts of a title in the $60,000 Georgia’s Rome Tennis Open in the United States last January.
Eala, for her part, also seeks a second title after winning her first pro crown in the W15 Manacor also in January.