Alex Eala exits singles, advances to doubles semis in W60 Slovakia

FILE–Filipino tennis player Alex Eala.–THAILAND OPEN

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala got booted out in the singles division of the W60 Trnava but she and her Lithuanian partner Justina Mikulskyte barge into the semifinal round of the doubles tournament on Thursday (Manila time) in Slovakia.

The 17-year-old Filipino was eliminated in the round of 16 of the $60, 000 singles tourney after falling to Sonay Kartal of Great Britain, 6-2, 6-2.

Eala opened her singles campaign with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over the No.6 seed Leyre Romero Gormaz of Spain only to be eliminated in the next round.

The reigning US Open girls champion continued to miss the opportunity to earn her third International Tennis Federation (ITF) crown after winning the  W15 Manacor in 2021 and the W25 Chiang Rai last year.

Eala thrived in the doubles of the Trnava tournament as she and Mikulskyte took down the German pair of Vivian Heisen and Julia Lohoff, 7-5, 6-4.

It took an hour and 27 minutes for Eala and Mikulskyte to eliminate the No.4 seeds in the quarterfinal.

The Filipino-Lithuanian tandem, the only non-seeded team left,  will face No.1 seeds Alicia Barnett and Olivia Nicholis of Great Britain in a knockout semifinal on Friday (Manila time).

Eala and Mikulskyte opened their doubles stint with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Nina Vargova and Ela Platenikova of Slovakia.

The Rafael Nadal Academy scholar is eyeing her second finals appearance in the ITF doubles event.