World no. 4 Alex Eala is not yet done painting her masterpiece in France.
Eala bucked fatigue and eventually took care of Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to reach the semifinals of the 2020 French Open, Thursday night (Manila time) at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris.
Her aggressiveness paid off late on the match. Eala, 15, eventually finished it on the serve break, forcing the young Czech to hit it long and booking her place in the last four.
The Filipina showed some signs of fatigue after the almost two-hour match just the previous day, though. She soon found herself in a 1-3 hole in the opening frame, eventually losing it.
Eala then went on the offense, and ultimately found her bearings despite the first set loss. She carried the momentum on the second set to even things out.
Noskova threatened to take the match with an early break in the third, but Eala would get the break back and consolidated it on her serve. The Filipina then took another game off her opponent for a 3-1 lead she never relinquished.
Eala shoots for her first Grand Slam final as she takes on hometown bet Elsa Jacquemot in the semifinals. Jacquemot took care of Belarus’ Kristina Dmitruk, 6-4, 6-4.
The other semifinal pits Russians Alina Charaeva and Veronika Kudermetova.
Grew to appreciate various sports from tennis to judo. True-maroon kiddo since the new millennium. Fanboy. Singer. Occasional sports writer.
