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Alex Eala yields to Japanese foe in pro Grand Slam debut

Sports

Alex Eala yields to Japanese foe in pro Grand Slam debut

By Manila Bulletin Sports

Alex Eala (Photo from Alex Eala's Facebook page)

By NIKOLE JAVIER

Alex Eala hasn’t found her sweet spot this year as she suffered another early exit this time in her first pro Grand Slam campaign in the 2023 Australian Open women’s singles in Melbourne, Australia on Monday, Jan. 9.

The 17-year-old couldn’t move past the qualifiers after yielding at the hands of Japanese Misaki Doi, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3, in her bid to earn a berth in the main draw round where decorated tennis names have staked their claim.

Eala looked primed to finish with a sweep, even taking a convincing 5-2 lead to start the first two sets.

However, the 31-year-old Doi’s experience proved to be more valuable when it counted the most when she went on to clinch the next four games and snatch the advantage in the second set, 6-5.

The Filipina teen tied the score at 6-6 to once again move on the cusp of advancing to the second round, but Doi had found her best form at that point and got the last word at the tiebreak, 7-1.

It was evident how pressure got the best of Eala as the third set saw the junior champion struggling to match Doi’s momentum and completely blew her second-round chances.

It has been a rough start to the year for Eala who was coming off a second round finish in the W60 Canberra qualifiers last week.

Eala will attempt to get her bearings going when she competes in the W250 Thailand Open on January 30.

Related Tags

Alex Eala 2023 Australian Open W60 Canberra W250 Thailand Open

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