Alex Eala needed three match points to punctuate a marathon match against Russia’s Ksenia Zaytseva, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5 to move into the quarterfinals ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors’ JA Tour at the Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa in Milan, Italy, Thursday.
The match lasted for two hours and 45 minutes.
The number seed had to complete a comeback after going down 3-5 to the Russian in the deciding set. This, despite an early break of serve to lead at 2-0. Nonetheless, with both players struggling to hold serves, Eala took advantage of that final break of serve to pocket the win.
The pair of 16-year-olds traded service breaks on the opening set up to the ninth game, as Eala led 5-4. The Filipino had chances to get the set in her next two service games. Zaytseva, though, eventually forced a tiebreak.
Eala, nonetheless, dominated the tiebreak after going ahead at 6-1. She never looked back for the set advantage.
The Russian cleaned up her service game in the following set. She then used a double break advantage to extend the match to a decider.
Eala will take on Belgian Sofia Costoulas for a place in the semifinal.
The Filipino has one more match later today. She and American partner Madison Sieg faces Zaytseva and another Russian in Yaroslava Bartashevich for the doubles quarterfinals.
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