Alex Eala’s bid in the ITF W60 Nantes tennis tournament hit a roadblock as she came up short against Andrea Knutson of the Czech Republic, with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. This setback occurred late on Friday, Manila time.

Eala, ranked 193rd in the world, had previously mounted impressive comebacks in her matches. However, her energy waned in the semifinals against the American-born Czech player.

The Filipino tennis star began strongly, breaking Knutson’s serve three times to claim the first set. But Knutson mounted a comeback in the second set, taking a 4-1 lead and eventually leveling the match.

Riding on her newfound momentum, the Czech player surged ahead with a 4-0 lead in the third set, leaving the 18-year-old Filipina struggling. Although Eala managed to win the fifth game, it marked the end of her journey in this match.

Knutson, on the other hand, advanced to the finals of the $60,000 ITF event.

(JR Amigo/ai/mnm)

Globe congratulates its ambassador, tennis sensation Alex Eala, for making history for the flag anew after winning two bronze medals in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the country’s first podium finish in tennis in the regional tilt in 16 years.

Eala scored a double bronze win in her Asiad debut ending the country’s nearly two-decade tennis medal drought in women’s singles. She then clinched another bronze with Francis Casey Alcantara in the mixed doubles event.

Eala’s wins mark the first time the Philippines won two medals in tennis in the Asian Games since 2006, when Filipino American Cecil Mamiit won two medals in the men’s singles and doubles.

“We are overwhelmed with pride over another historic feat that our ambassador, Alex Eala, has accomplished for the flag. She is the epitome of what hard work, grace and determination can achieve. At such a young age, she has rewritten the country’s sports history as she continues to achieve personal milestones,” said Ernest Cu, Globe Group President and CEO.

A Globe ambassador since age 8, Eala has landed historic wins for the Philippines. She clinched the 2022 grand slam singles championship at the US Open Juniors, and has so far won four pro titles in the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the 2021 French Open Girls’ Doubles tournament, and the Australian Open Girls’ Doubles in 2020.

Apart from these, Eala won three bronze medals in the singles, women’s team play and doubles events in her Southeast Asian Games debut last year. 

Alex Eala’s victories in the Asian Games ended the Philippines’ medal drought in tennis at the Asian Games.

HANGZHOU, China – Alex Eala suffered a 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6 defeat to Chinese top seed Zheng Qinwen but successfully ended the country’s 17-year medal drought in tennis Thursday at the city’s Olympic Tennis Centre here.

Several inches shorter than the Chinese ace, the 5-foot-8 Eala recovered from a sluggish start with a dominant performance in the second set.

Fatigue, however, caught up with her after a double duty Wednesday when she played singles in the morning and mixed doubles later in the day.

As her singles match with an Indian rival, the mixed doubles were also tiring as Eala and first-time partner Francis Alcantara needed three sets to top-seeded pair of Yuki Bhambri and Ankita Ravinderkrishan Raina of India.

Eala stands to win another bronze if she and Alcantara beat their Thai rivals in the quarters.

For a while, Eala, 18, appeared headed to scoring a big upset over her 21-year-old rival after taking a 3-1 lead in the deciding third set in a game she capped with a sizzling return.

But Eala’s magic suddenly disappeared, limited to just four points the rest of the way.

But while Eala was looking tired and weary, the Chinese bet, who is ranked No. 23 in the world, was gaining momentum as she started to bomb the Filipina princess with wicked forehand winners.

Eala was held scoreless in the 8th game and that proved the end of her as Qinwen took a 5-3 advantage. (ai/mnm)

Pinay tennis pride Alex Eala has achieved an advancement in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings.

Climbing from the 248th position, the talented tennis player from the Philippines has risen to the 217th spot in the global rankings as of Tuesday, August 22.

However, it’s worth noting that Eala still stands three positions below her personal best of 214th. Despite this, the 18-year-old athlete has shown impressive progress by jumping an impressive 31 spots in the rankings, primarily due to her consecutive appearances in finals held in the United Kingdom.

Eala’s dominance was evident in her victory at the W25 Roehampton tournament, where she overcame Russian-Australian player Arina Rodionava with a score of 6-2, 6-3 on August 13. This triumph marked Eala’s fourth professional championship.

Subsequently, Eala secured her place in the finals of the W25 Aldershot, though she faced defeat against Australian player Destanee Aiava with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 1-6 on August 20.

Furthermore, Eala and Aiava teamed up as doubles partners for the W25 Roehampton doubles event, achieving a quarterfinals berth.

In addition to her singles achievements, Eala also participated in the W25 Aldershot doubles tournament alongside her Polish partner Urszula Radwanska. Unfortunately, they were eliminated by the Japanese duo of Saki Imamura and Erina Hayashi in the semifinals, with a score of 4-6, 4-6. (ai/mnm)

UNITED KINGDOM — While the rain briefly dampened her momentum, it proved incapable of halting Alex Eala’s determined advance toward yet another finals appearance in an ITF tournament.

In a gripping showdown at the W25 ITF Roehampton singles semifinal here on the night of August 12 (Manila time), the Filipino tennis prodigy overcame Dutch opponent Arianne Hartono in a hard-fought encounter, prevailing with a score of 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-1.

Defying expectations, Eala, the tournament’s sixth seed, defeated the third-seeded Russian-Aussie contender Arianne Hartono to set up an eagerly anticipated final on the following Sunday evening.

Should she emerge triumphant in this pivotal match, Eala would secure her fourth ITF singles title, further solidifying her tennis prowess.

Following a nail-biting victory in the first set, Eala found herself trailing 1-4 in the second frame.

However, her attempt at a comeback was temporarily disrupted by an hour-long rain delay.

Upon the resumption of play, Eala faced challenges in regaining her momentum, allowing Hartono to seize the opportunity and level the match by clinching the second set.

Unfazed, Eala was resolute in the deciding set.

Displaying her signature determination, the 18-year-old Filipino sensation swiftly established a commanding 5-1 lead.

Capitalizing on her momentum, Eala successfully broke Hartono’s serve in the seventh game, securing her victory in the match.

(ai/mnm)

Filipino tennis sensation, Alexandra Eala, delivered a remarkable upset on Friday as she outplayed the number one seed, Priscilla Hon of Australia, during the quarterfinals of the W25 Roehampton singles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) event in the United Kingdom.

Seeded sixth in the tournament, Eala exhibited exceptional skill as she triumphed over top-seeded Hon in a decisive two-set match, with a final score of 6-2, 6-4. Her victory propels her into the semifinals, where she is slated to compete against Arianne Hartono of the Netherlands.

The semifinal showdown is scheduled to commence on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., promising an intense battle on the court.

Before her victory against Hon, Eala, alongside Australian partner Destinee Aiava, faced defeat in the doubles quarterfinals against the Australian duo of Petra Hule and Talla Gibson on Thursday.

Interestingly, Eala and Aiava also crossed paths in the singles’ round of 16 on the same day. In a thrilling encounter, Eala managed to outlast Aiava in a three-set match, securing victory with a score of 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. (ai/mnm)

In the ITF W100 tournament held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, promising Filipino tennis star Alex Eala encountered a tough challenge in the semifinals, facing off against French competitor Jessika Ponchet. Despite putting up an intense fight, Eala narrowly missed out on victory, with Ponchet emerging as the victor with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Before her semifinal defeat, Eala showcased her skills and determination by securing wins against local hopeful Lucia Cortez Llorca in the quarterfinals, as well as triumphs over China’s Tianmi Mi and Romanian player Jaqueline Cristian in the earlier rounds of the tournament.

With her journey in this event concluding at the semifinals, all eyes are now on Jessika Ponchet, who will compete against Ukraine’s Daria Snigur in the finals.

This year has been filled with notable achievements and experiences for Eala.

Earlier in the season, she clinched her first professional title in W25 Yecla.

Subsequently, she progressed to the quarterfinals in W25 Madrid, followed by a first-round exit in W25+H Tauste-Zaragoza.

Later, Eala achieved another commendable quarterfinal finish in W40 Palma del Rio but then faced a first-round exit in W25 Corroios-Seixal.

Despite the semifinal loss, Alex Eala’s journey in professional tennis continues to be a promising and exciting one, with her accomplishments reflecting her potential and dedication to the sport.

(Sourced online/ai/mnm)

In the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz tournament, Pinay tennis prodigy Alex Eala demonstrated her prowess by advancing to the semifinals after a hard-fought victory against Spanish player Lucia Cortez Llorca in the quarterfinals.

The match, which took place on Friday night, July 21 (Manila time), saw Eala prevailing with a score of 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 at the Pista Amutio outdoor hard court of Peña Vitoriana Tennis Club in Spain.

Despite a slow start, Eala bounced back from losing two consecutive games in the first set and showcased her resilience by winning six games in a row to claim the opening set.

In the second set, Llorca fought fiercely to maintain her advantage and quickly raced to a 3-0 lead, ultimately leveling the match at 1-1.

The third set witnessed an intense battle between the two players, with Eala securing the crucial first game after an extended six-deuce game. She then took control of the set, building a commanding 5-1 lead and securing the overall victory.

With this impressive win, the world’s 258th-ranked tennis player, Alex Eala, has set herself up for a semifinal showdown against the tournament’s third seed, 26-year-old Jessika Ponchet from France.

Ponchet, currently ranked 137th in the world, promises to provide a formidable challenge in their encounter scheduled for Saturday, July 22 at 5 p.m. (ai/mnm)

Filipino tennis prodigy Alex Eala suffered a defeat at the hands of Russian player Valeria Savinykh in the quarterfinals of the XXVII Open Generali Ciudad de Palma del Rio at the Asociacion de Tenistas Palmenos Polideportivo in Spain on Saturday, July 1 (Manila time).

Eala, who has been making waves in the tennis world, couldn’t maintain her strong start in the first set. Despite initially taking a 4-1 lead, she struggled to maintain her advantage and ultimately lost momentum, allowing Savinykh to take control and secure a spot in the semifinals.

In the opening set, the 18-year-old Eala showed promise, but her performance wavered as the more experienced 32-year-old Savinykh rallied with five consecutive points to claim the set.

Eala briefly took the lead once again in the second set, going up 1-0. However, it proved to be short-lived as Savinykh, a former 99th-ranked player who currently holds the 243rd spot in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, dominated the remainder of the match.

Savinykh capitalized on Eala’s struggle to hold her serve, breaking her five times throughout the match.

(ai/mnm)