Alex Eala is back in a doubles final.
The Filipino tennis ace and partner American Madison Sieg took care of the stubborn Russian pair of Kira Pavlova and Diana Shnaider, 6-3, 6-4, in the semifinals of the 2021 TF World Tennis Tour Juniors’ JA tournament at the Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa, Milan, Italy, Friday.
The Filipino-American tandem punctuated the match with a service hold to love to end the battle in an hour and 18 minutes. This, even after giving out two service games top the opponent in either sets.
Pavlova and Shnaider fought hard and cut the deficit to just one at 3-4 in the second after the double break. Eala and Sieg then took one of those breaks back and consolidated it in the final game of the match.
The same story earlier transpired in the opening set as it went well on serve at 3- apiece. Eala and Sieg then swept the last three matches for the set advantage.
The Filipino and American teeners combined for just 64 percent on the first serve. Still, they won most of their points — 21 of the 61 points, in particular — on the first serve.
Eala looks to capture her second title on clay this season. She and Sieg take on Croatia’s Lucija Ciric Bagaric and Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas.
