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| Alex Eala prevailed against a gallant Donna Vekic. |
MANILA--Alex Eala bounced back from a Set 1 heartbreak to beat Croatian opponent Donna Vekic, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the ASB Classic women's singles event on Tuesday at the ASB Tennis Centre in Auckland.
Eala, the Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, caught Vekic, the Paris Olympics silver medalist, by surprise when she went to a quick 3-0 lead in Set 1.
However, Vekic, the former world number 17 and currently at 69, fought back and went 6-1 the rest of the way to steal the set from the world number 53.
Both players went toe-to-toe in Set 2 until Eala scored a crucial break point that put her up 5-3.
Vekic got the break point back in Game 9, but Eala prevented her from pulling off another comeback by getting the set-clinching break point in Game 10.
The deciding set went a similar route as both tennis players raced to a 3-3 deadlock before Eala won the next two games for a 5-3 lead.
Just like in Set 2, Vekic tried to mount a comeback by winning the next game, but Eala eventually sealed the deal afterward.
Eala won despite Vekic's superb service game that led to seven aces as the Filipina ace went 6-for-12 on break points compared to her foe's 5-of-11.
Up next for Eala is another Croatian opponent, Petra Marcinko, on Thursday.
Despite being shut out in Set 2, Marcinko got the better of Camila Osorio, 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (2).
Eala will begin the day with a doubles matchup together with Iva Jovic against the duo of Jessica Maleckova and Renata Zarazua.
Meanwhile, the hopes of seeing Eala take on Venus Williams in singles play were dashed for now as the former world number 1 lost to Magda Linette, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Eala and Williams were in line for a possible quarterfinal clash before the Tuesday results.
