Eala gets early boot from Fernandez in Stuttgart
MANILA, Philippines -- Alex Eala crashed out of her Porsche Tennis Grand Prix debut in the first round after getting manhandled by Filipino-Canadian Leylah Fernandez, 1-6, 4-6, Wednesday morning (Manila time) in Stuttgart, Germany.
The World No. 25 tennister had a furious run in the first set, going up 5-0 as she hit Eala with winner after winner.
The pride of the Philippines then held her serve in the sixth game and prevented a bagel, but her opponent was just too good to be stopped.
In the second set, Eala put up more fight as she trailed 2-3.
But back-to-back games by the 23-year-old pushed her to within a game from the match, 5-2.
The World No. 45, though, did not go down without a fight, staying alive after breaking Fernandez’s serve before holding her own to make it a 4-5 set.
But the Canadian would not be denied, clawing out from a 0-30 deficit in the 10th game for the win.
“Oh man, 100%. I mean, I remember watching her play a couple years back at the Rafa Nadal Academy and she was playing super fast. And I remember telling my coach at the time saying like, wow, she plays quick,” she said.
“So it was like a mirror, because he said, look, it's exactly like you. So just enjoy, figure it out and have fun.”
Fernandez will thus be taking on either Zeynep Sonmez or Jasmine Paolini in the second round.
For her part, Eala will be setting her sights on the Mutua Madrid Open, which will kick off on April 21.
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