ALEX Eala and Czech doubles partner Nikola Bartunkova bowed out of the Birmingham Classic after a tough 4-6, 6-2, 9-11 loss to Britain’s Harriet Dart and Scotland’s Maia Lumsden on Monday night, Manila Time.
Eala and Bartunkova bounced back from a set down and managed to tie the score at 8-8 and again at 9-9 in the decider, but Dart and Lumsden held firm in the closing exchanges to complete the narrow escape.
READ Alex Eala set for dream doubles team-up with Venus Williams
That put a premature end to Eala and Bartunkova's doubles campaign in the WTA 125 event, the 21-year old Filipina's first tournament in the grass season after a first-round exit on clay at the French Open.
The world No. 37 plays her singles opener on Tuesday as the tournament's first seed against Priscilla Hon of Australia.
The round-of-32 match won't be played before 5 p.m.
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