AS the going got tough, Alex Eala’s run at the WTA 125 Suzhou in China came to a close on Friday after bowing out in another grueling three-setter in the quarterfinals.
The 20-year-old Filipina fell short against Swiss veteran Viktorija Golubic, 6-2, 2-6, 6(0)-7, in a two-hour and 21-minute battle, marking her third straight three-set match of the tournament.
In the decisive third set, Eala looked like she had one more rally left in her.
From 2-all, she surged ahead to 5-2, putting herself just a game away from the finish line, but Golubic refused to fold, clawing back to even the frame at 5-all.
Eala briefly regained the upper hand at 6-5, but the Swiss veteran forced the tiebreak and then slammed the door shut with a ruthless 7-0 sweep.
It was a crushing end for the Filipina, who had earlier stamped her authority with a 6-2 opener, only to see the momentum swing completely in the second set, as Golubic closed it out 6-2.
Tough luck for Alex in Asian swing
With the loss, the fourth-seeded Eala missed the chance to test herself against world No. 44 Tatjana Maria of Germany in the semifinals.
It was also her second quarterfinal exit in her Asian swing, on the heels of Jingshan last week.
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