Alex Eala falls short vs Canadian foe in Ilkley Open quarterfinals
Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - April 24, 2025 Philippines' Alex Eala reacts during her round of 64 match against Poland's Iga Swiatek REUTERS/Juan Medina
Top-seeded Alex Eala fell short against defending champion Rebecca Marino of Canada, 1-6, 6-0, 7(7)-6(4), in the Ilkley Open quarterfinals on Friday.
After dominant wins in the first two sets from each player, the third set became a neck-and-neck affair as Eala and Marino fought for a semis slot.
In the tiebreaker, the 20-year old Eala had an early 2-1 lead before the 34-year old Marino scored five straight to reach match point.
The Filipina player, however, salvaged two match points to inch closer but the veteran Marino, ranked 107th in the world, flexed her composure to seal the victory.
Prior to this, world no. 77 Eala defeated Filipino-Aussie Lizette Cabrera and Swiss player Valentina Ryser in the first two rounds of the tournament.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
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