MANILA — Alexandra Eala came within reach of a breakthrough win against a Grand Slam champion but ultimately bowed out after a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the Round of 16 of the WTA Linz Open on Wednesday night in Austria.
The 20-year-old Filipina showcased poise and competitiveness against the higher-ranked Ostapenko, even surging to a commanding 5-1 lead in the second set before the Latvian mounted a stunning comeback to close out the match in straight sets.
Facing a quick turnaround from her opening round win against Julia Grabher, Eala held her ground in extended rallies and kept pressure on Ostapenko despite the latter’s power advantage.
Ostapenko leaned on her aggressive baseline game early, firing six aces to Eala’s two, though she also struggled with consistency, committing 11 double faults.
Eala, for her part, was steadier on serve with just five double faults and a higher first-serve percentage at 88 percent compared to Ostapenko’s 83 percent.
However, the decisive edge came on second serves, where Ostapenko won 67 percent of points while Eala failed to win any on her second serve. The Latvian also proved more clinical on break opportunities, converting six of nine chances, while Eala managed four of nine.
The opening set remained tight until Ostapenko pulled away late to claim it, 6-4. In the second set, Eala appeared poised to force a decider after building a 5-1 lead, but a six-game run by Ostapenko turned the match around.
Ostapenko finished with 74 total points against Eala’s 68 and controlled key stretches, including the pivotal run that sealed the victory.
The defeat ended Eala’s campaign in Linz, but her performance highlighted her growing ability to challenge top-tier opposition on the WTA Tour./PN
