MANILA — Alexandra Eala and doubles partner Janice Tjen surged into the semifinals of the Abu Dhabi Open after a commanding straight-sets victory on Thursday night (Friday in the Philippines), underscoring the Filipina star’s continued momentum on the doubles court despite an earlier singles setback.
Eala and Tjen dispatched Zhang Shuai of China and Cristina Bucșa of Spain, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinals, asserting control with efficient serving and crisp execution in pressure moments. The duo converted five of seven break-point chances while limiting their opponents to just two breaks in five opportunities.
The Eala–Tjen tandem was steady on serve, winning 65 percent of their first-serve points and 56 percent on second serves. They also thrived in longer exchanges, piling up 56 total points to 43 for Zhang and Bucșa to close out the match in straight sets.
Overall, Eala and Tjen captured seven service games and 31 service points, while edging their rivals in receiving points, 25-20, to seal the win.
With the victory, the pair advanced to the semifinals, where they are set to face Tereza Mihalíková of Slovakia and Olivia Nicholls of Great Britain on Friday night (early Saturday in the Philippines).
Earlier in the tournament, Eala’s singles campaign came to an end in the quarterfinals following a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. The Russian leaned on her power game, firing four aces and winning 72 percent of her first-serve points while converting five of nine break chances.
Eala posted a higher first-serve percentage at 70 percent but managed to win just 45 percent of those points. She converted two of eight break opportunities and finished with 59 total points, compared to Alexandrova’s 74.
Alexandrova dominated on serve with seven service games and 41 service points, while Eala claimed four service games and 30 service points. The Russian also held the edge in receiving points, 33-29, to advance to the semifinals./PN
