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Eala, Russian partner book finals ticket in W25 tourney

Sports

Eala, Russian partner book finals ticket in W25 tourney

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

Alex Eala (Photo from itftennis.com)

Alex Eala booked her first pro doubles final with Russian partner Oksana Selekhmeteva in the W25 Platja D’Aro tournament in Spain Friday, May 21.

Teaming up for the first time in the pros, Eala and Selekhmeteva needed only 53 minutes in dispatching unseeded Dutch pair Isabelle Haverlag and Suzan Lamens, 6-3, 6-1, for a shot at the crown.

Their win set up a championship showdown with Lithuania’s Justina Mikulskyte and Romania’s Oana Georgeta Simion, who cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Spaniards Jessica Bouzas Maneiro and Claudia Hoste Ferrer.

Selekhmeteva, 18, boasts of five International Tennis Federation doubles titles, including two this year with partner Angela Fita Boluda in W15 events.

The Russian also won the 2019 US Open Girls Doubles crown with Kamilla Bartone.

Eala, who turns 16 on Sunday, also boasts of doubles experience in her junior year after having won the 2020 Australian Open Girls Doubles title with Priskya Madelyn Nugroho.

But the juniors scene is different, and Eala and Selekhmeteva needed to up their game against their experienced rivals.

Mikulskyte, 25, has won eight ITF doubles titles while Simion, also 25, has won six doubles crowns since 2019.

Related Tags

Alex Eala Oksana Selekhmeteva W25 platja daro WTA

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