FILE–Filipino tennis star Alex Eala. –Photo from Alex Eala’s Instagram
MANILA, Philippines—Alex Eala bowed out prematurely in the ITF W60 Barcelona tournament after being swept in the quarterfinals by home bet Georgina Garcia-Perez, 6-4, 6-3, in Spain on Saturday (Manila time).
A win could have propelled Eala, the Philippines’ first Grand Slam champion after ruling the 2022 US Open girls singles, to the semifinal but it was not to be.
This, after Eala pulled an upset over tournament second-seed Eva Lys of Germany in the Round of 16, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
After facing a 1-0 set predicament, Eala raced to a 3-1 lead in the second frame.
Garcia-Perez, however, took matters into her own hands and left Eala blank, 6-3.
Eala most recently dropped in the semis of the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz at the hands of Jessika Ponchet of France, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Prior to that said semifinal appearance, though, Eala had often fallen short in a tournament’s quarters.
Garcia-Perez, meanwhile, will move on to the semis where she faces Australia’s Arina Rodionova next.