ALEX EALA showed resiliency under pressure to beat the Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and advance to the French Open girls’ semifinal round at Roland Garros in Paris.
Eala, seeded No. 2 in the tournament and No. 4 in the world, faced a stubborn Noskova in the first set as her southpaw style couldn’t find answers against the right-handed Czech, who is ranked 29 rungs down at No. 33.
But Eala, 15, found her rhythm in the next two sets to beat Noskova and remain as the highest ranked player to reach the semifinals of the Grand Slam event’s juniors tournament that was moved back from last summer’s traditional schedule because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“That was a great match with Alex playing her best tennis,” Eala’s dad Mike told the Business Mirror. “We are so happy that so many Filipinos are coming out on all media channels to support her.”
Up next for Eala is another player who plays right-handed and who she will be facing for the first time, Elsa Jaquemot. The French girl beat Kristina Dmitruk of Belarus, 6-4, 6-4, in the other quarterfinal pairing.
Eala is expected to have a more difficult time against Jaquemot, who is seeded third in the tournament and ranked fourth in the world.
An all-Russian semifinals showdown is featured at the top of draw with fourth seed Poulina Kudermitova facing Alina Charaeva in the last four scheduled for Friday night (Manila time).
Kudermetova labored past local bet Oceane Babel, 6-3, 7-5, while Charaeva had an easier time disposing of ninth-seeded German Alexandra Vecic, 6-2, 6-3.