MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala hacked out a 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 comeback win against French bet Nahia Berecoechea to barge into the quarterfinals of the W25 Yecla Friday in Spain.
Eala squandered a 2-0 lead in the opening salvo but swung back with guns ablaze in the next two frames with dominant wins behind her crisp service.
Buoyed by three aces, the second-seeded Filipina allowed only two games in bagging the win in one hour and 47 minutes over the 19-year-old and WTA No. 585 Berecoechea.
Eala, WTA No. 266, will face Mexican Victoria Rodriguez today for a seat in the Final Four.
It’s a chance for Eala, who just turned 18 last month, to reach her best finish this year after a string of struggles.
She previously bested Great Britain’s Katy Dunne, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, in the first round.