Grand Slam main draw too elusive for Eala

MANILA, Philippines — Another chance, another heartbreak.

For the third straight time, Alex Eala missed out on a historic Grand Slam main draw ticket following a 6-3, 1-6, 4-6 meltdown against Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the US Open women’s singles qualifying draw finals yesterday in New York.

Eala got the start that she wanted but faltered in the next two sets en route to a tough exit in her US Open pro debut after winning the juniors division two years ago.

The 19-year-old Filipina sensation also made the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year but to no avail.

It proved to be the same fate in the US Open for her foiled chance to become the first Filipina player in the main draw of any Grand Slam tourney as the 26-year-old Romanian flaunted her experience in the three-setter marathon that lasted two hours and eight minutes.

Up against the No. 20 seed and WTA No. 123 Ruse, the WTA No. 148 Eala actually did not shy away from the challenge and even took a close 6-3 opening-set win only to absorb a near shutout in the second.

Ruse retaliated by waxing hot a 4-0 start as Eala took a medical timeout due to a minor injury.

Nursing a setback and all, Eala was still in the fight by forcing a 3-3 deadlock in the decider. But the in-form Ruse wasn’t to be denied in a 3-1 finishing kick to earn the win marked by a total of five aces.

Going down the drain in Eala’s exit were wins against WTA No. 180 Maddison Inglis of Australia, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, and WTA No. 99 Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain, also the No. 15 seed in the qualifiers, 7-5, 7-5.

Still, Eala – the champion of the 2022 US Open girls’ singles – proved that she can go head-to-head against more seasoned and higher-ranked counterparts with a potential to get the job done next time in her budding career.