Alex Eala makes history in
Paris. —PHOTO COURTESY OF GLOBE
ALEX Eala went down swinging against her more experienced rival who is also the hometown bet as she ended her momentous French Open run with a semifinal finish in girls singles Friday night.
The 15-year-old Eala, youngest in the semis field despite owning the highest seeding at No. 2, could not find her rhythm against the big-serving Elsa Jacquemot to bow down, 6-3, 6-2, on Court 14.
Jacquemot, 17 with a WTA ranking of 525, dumped three aces in the match that lasted just 57 minutes to make the finals against Alina Charaeva who disposed of fellow Russian Polina Kudermetova, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5.
Eala opened up strong holding at love in the opening set but Jacquemot declared her intentions early on, draining an ace to hold at love in the fourth game before breaking the Filipina’s serve for a 3-2 lead.
The French dropped another ace for 30-0 in the sixth game to try and shake the younger Filipino who was just starting her pro campaign.
Jacquemot held at love for 4-2 lead that practically tilted the balance to her favor although the match.
It was still an impressive showing by Eala who just became the first FIlipina to make the semis of a Grand Slam event. She matched the feat of Felix Barrientos who was semifinalist in Wimbledon in 1985.