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Alex Eala yields to Kiwi rival in semis of Jingshan Open

Sports

Alex Eala yields to Kiwi rival in semis of Jingshan Open

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

At A Glance

Alex Eala lost her steam in the crunch and yielded to a familiar rival in Lulu Sun, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the semifinals of the Jingshan Tennis Open in China on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Alex Eala loses her semifinal match at the Jingshan Tennis Open. (File Photo/AP)

Alex Eala loses her semifinal match at the Jingshan Tennis Open. (File Photo/AP)

Alex Eala lost her steam in the crunch and yielded to a familiar rival in Lulu Sun, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the semifinals of the Jingshan Tennis Open in China on Saturday, Sept. 27.

The top-seeded Eala squandered a 2-0 second-set lead and failed to recover since then to end her campaign for a second title in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) circuit.

It was Eala’s second loss to the same opponent after she also bowed to the Kiwi in the qualifying round of the Wimbledon Championships last year.

A victory for Eala could have set her up a finals date with unseeded Chinese Ma Ye-xin, who ousted second seed Talia Gibson, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, in the other semifinal pairing.

After dominating the opening set and taking a 2-0 lead early in the second frame, the 20-year-old Eala found herself trailing after Sun claimed the next four games for a 4-2 advantage.

The Filipina retaliated and won the next two games -- including breaking Sun’s serve in the seventh -- for a 4-all deadlock, but the Kiwi was relentless and took charge of the frame.

It gave Sun the needed momentum heading into the deciding third set, where she cruised to a 4-0 lead and never looked back.

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