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| Alex Eala got back at Himeno Sakatsume with a near-perfect run in Set 2. Luis Fabregar |
MANILA--Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Philippine Women's Open after defeating Japanese Himeno Sakatsume, 6-4, 6-0, on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Eala exacted her revenge against Sakatsume after losing in the Japan Cup in Osaka in 2023.
A crucial break point in Game 9 put Eala with a crucial 5-4 lead as she served to clinch Set 1.
Sakatsume tried to take the service break back, but Eala did not squander a huge deuce advantage to seal Set 1.
In Set 2, it was a near-flawless act for Eala as she blanked Sakatsume, calling the match with yet another breakaway from a deuce.
Eala is set to play Colombian Camila Osorio on Thursday night.
Osorio beat Japanese Mai Hontama, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, earlier Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Tatjana Maria took the biggest fall after bowing to Tatiana Prozorova, 7-6 (7), 6-4, in a massive upset.
A day after eliminating Kaye Emana, Prozorova stunned the top-seeded Maria first by winning the Set 1 tiebreak that became a race to nine points and later winning a crucial break point in Set 2.
Prozorova will battle Sofia Costoulas, who downed Ma Yexin, 6-2, 6-4, in the quarterfinals.
The other quarterfinal matches for Thursday will see fourth-seeded Donna Vekic, 6-2, 6-2 winner against Mariia Tkacheva, taking on Zhu Lin, 6-3, 7-6 (5) winner against Mananchaya Sawangkaew, and Solana Sierra, 6-4, 6-3 winner against Yuliia Starodubtseva, battling Lanlana Tararudee, 6-4, 6-4 winner against Polina Kudermetova.
With a report from Ivan Saldajeno.
