Philippine tennis sensation Alex Eala survived a tough first-set challenge from Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume with a gritty 6-4, 6-0 victory in the second round of the Philippine Women’s Open on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
As with her first round opponent Alina Charaeva, it was another revenge match for Eala after previously suffering a 6-0, 6-3 defeat to her Japanese counterpart in the 2023 WTA 250 Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships.
It was a closely contested opening set on Wednesday, with Sakatsume and Eala trading the first four games before trading breaks in the fifth and sixth.
Neither player was able to take control at 3-3 as both relied on solid serving and first-strike tennis to survive pressure matches. The pattern continued in the seventh and eighth, with controlled grips on both sides leaving the set stuck at 4-4.
But Eala finally caused separation in the 9th game, delivering a crucial second break behind the weight and depth of her forehand and backhand. Riding that momentum, she sharpened her service game to close it out and take a one-set lead.
Just like in her opening match, Eala again took a medical timeout before the start of the second set, but this did not disrupt her rhythm.
She carried the momentum from the latter stages of the first set into winning the final three games, and immediately asserted herself in the second set, earning two breaks in the first three games, fueled by sharp returns and early ball control.
Eala remained in full control in the latter stages of the set, adding another break before settling into routine maintenance. Without losing any pressure, she closed the second set emphatically, sealing the bagel to complete the victory.
Despite Sakatsume holding the lead on service aces at 3-1, it was Eala who dictated play from serve.
The Filipina’s efficiency stood out, converting winners on 67% of her first serve points and 65% on her second serve, highlighting her overall mastery in the match.
Following the defeat of top seed Tatjana Maria in the second round, Eala is now the highest ranked player left in the tournament. She will face 84th-ranked Camila Osorio of Colombia in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
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