AT A GLANCE
Alex Eala outhustled Chinese qualifier Mi Tianmi, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-0, to storm into the quarterfinals of the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Spain on Friday, July 21.
Alex Eala outhustled Chinese qualifier Mi Tianmi, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-0, to storm into the quarterfinals of the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Spain on Friday, July 21.
Alex Eala needs an extra set in barging into the quarterfinals. (File Photo/Alex Eala Facebook)
The unseeded Eala recovered from a tight second-set stumble by blanking her Chinese foe in the deciding third frame to inch closer to the title.
She was only one of three unseeded players who advanced to the Final 8.
The victory set up Eala a quarters date with Spaniard Lucia Cortez Llorca, who downed wildcard bet Lucia Llinares Domingo also of Spain, 6-2, 6-4.
This would be the first time that Eala and Llorca would meet in the ITF pro circuit, with the world No. 406 Spaniard seeking her first pro singles crown.
Meanwhile, Eala and her partner Marina Bassols Ribera of Spain, fell short in their quarters doubles match after bowing to France’s Estelle Cascino and Latvia’s Diana Marcinkevica, 7-5, 1-6, 11-9.
A victory for Eala and Ribera could have arranged them a semifinal meeting with Thai third seed Luksika Kumkhum and Peangtarn Plipuech, who toppled Poland’s Gina Feistel and Great Britain’s Emilie Lindh.
