Alex Eala’s bid to enter the main draw round of the 2024 Australian Open came into a halt on Tuesday, Jan. 9, after losing her first qualifying match in Melbourne to a more experienced rival.

The 18-year-old Eala bowed to world No. 128 Rebecca Peterson of Sweden, 6-2, 7-5, in a match that lasted one hour and 48 minutes.

Competing her second Australian Open as a pro, the world No. 185 Eala challenged the Grand Slam regular in the second set by leading 5-4, before losing her steam in the next three games.

Peterson, whose best Grand Slam finish was a third-round appearance at the 2018 US Open, broke Eala’s serve three times including in the crucial 11^th game of the second set where she untangled from a 40-all score en route to the match victory.

Peterson’s victory arranged her a second-round match with Russian Anastasia Zakharova, who clobbered compatriot Jana Kolodynska, 6-1, 6-3, in 69 minutes.

This would be the second time that Eala is making an early exit at the Australian Open after also losing her first qualifying match last year.

Prior to the Grand Slams, Eala made it to the doubles semifinals of the Workday Canberra International with Brazilian partner Laura Pigossi.