ALEX Eala replicated her victory in doubles when she opened in style her singles campaign in the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain on Wednesday, sweeping Dutch bet Lian Tran in the Round of 32.
Armed with a career-best ranking in the WTA, Eala made a comeback to singles on hard with a mission as she drubbed Tran, 6-4, 6-2, to seize a spot in the Round of 16 alongside her quarterfinals berth in doubles.
READ: Alex Eala rises to career-high WTA ranking, reaches Vitoria-Gasteiz quarters
Eala needed a total of 70 minutes to subdue her opponent who put up a fight in the opening set.
The 19-year-old almost squandered a 5-2 lead when her serving went awry in Game 9, committing two double faults, including the point that gave her opponent the break, 5-4.
But Eala was able to regain her bearings in the next game just in time to take the opening set, 6-4.
Buoyed by her last minute finisher, Eala surged in Set 2 as she won five of the last six games and needed only 29 minutes to finish the sweep.
Eala then faces home bet Lucia Cortez Llorca in the Round of 16 Thursday evening, Manila time.
She also has doubles duty as she and French partner Estelle Cascino face Laura Mair and Victoria Bervid in the quarterfinal later in the same day.
Eala is looking for her first title - either singles or doubles - in a W100 tiff.
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