Alex Eala sets Dubai QF battle vs Coco Gauff with win vs Romanian vet

Alex Eala took down another higher-ranked opponent in Dubai. Richard Esguerra (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—Alex Eala avenged her earlier loss to Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea with a 7-5, 6-4 win in the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships early Thursday (Philippine Time).

Forcing a third set in their first duel before eventually falling down, Eala just needed straight sets in her rematch against Cirstea, as the world number 47 added another higher-ranked victim to her list in the emirate.

Eala escaped a tight Set 1 by winning two straight games after a 5-5 tie and was on the verge of sweeping Set 2 with a 4-0 lead.

Cirstea, who appeared rattled with the Filipino community giving their loudest cheers for Eala, tried to fight back after winning four of the next five games to cut her opponent's lead down to one.

However, Eala, who was serving in Game 10, preserved her win by making sure Cirstea would not get the crucial break point.

Eala moves on to the quarterfinals, where she will face world number four Coco Gauff, her one-time doubles partner.