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| Alex Eala exited Wimbledon. Cesca Rampas (file photo) |
PASIG—Alex Eala's run in The Wimbledon Championships came to an end on Monday as Jasmine Paolini hacked out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win in their Round of 16 duel at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.
Crucial service breaks helped Paolini, ranked 17th in the world and seeded 13th in the event, get back at Eala, the world number 32 and 29th seed, after she was dominated in their previous meeting in Dubai.
Paolini got an early break point against Eala in Set 1 and eventually raced to a 5-2 lead, but Eala held serve in Game 8 and broke back in the following game to have a chance at sending the opening frame to a race to seven.
However, Paolini broke Eala's serve in Game 10 to finally clinch Set 1.
Both players held serve in the first six games of Set 2 until Eala scored a set-turning break point in Game 7 to eventually open a 5-3 lead.
Paolini somehow extended Set 2 to a Game 10 and kept the said game close to have a chance to break back.
However, Eala scored back-to-back points to force the deciding set.
Both players kept their service game in the groove in the first seven games of Set 3 with Paolini ahead, 4-3.
Paolini got an opportunity to pull away when Eala committed a double fault that set up the break point that would eventually put the Italian up, 5-3.
Eala tried to will her way back by going for the break point, but Paolini held serve to ice the contest.
Despite the exit, Eala's Round of 16 appearance is the deepest run a Filipino tennis player has had in a Grand Slam event in the Open era.
It is also the closest a Filipino has been to winning it all in a Grand Slam since Felicismo Ampon was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the 1953 French Open.
All eyes will now be on Eala's favorite playground, the hardcourt, as the road to the US and Australian Opens begins.
