ALEX Eala saw her WTA 125 Ilkley Open campaign come to an abrupt end on Friday night at the hands of defending champion Rebecca Marino of Canada.
The top-seeded Filipina lost to the reigning Ilkley Open queen in a gripping three-set battle, 6-1, 0-6, 6(4)-7(7) at the quarterfinal stage.
Eala fades
The 20-year old didn't drop a set in her first two outings and breezed past the opening set against the eighth-seeded Marino, but she faded badly in the second set then lost a hard-fought third-set tiebreak.
The loss marked Eala’s latest setback since a breakthrough WTA semifinal appearance at the Miami Open, both on clay and on grass.
As a result, she has slipped down the WTA live rankings from a career-best No. 69 two weeks ago to No, 73, then down to her current No. 77 position.
This is her second grass-court tournament following her stint in the Birmingham Open, where she never got past the opening round.
She is expected to compete in more tune-up events ahead of her anticipated Wimbledon debut on June 30.
Despite a commanding breadstick win in the first set, Eala failed to sustain her momentum.
The 34-year old Marino, ranked No. 107 in the world, showed her composure and experience by blanking Eala in the second set to force a decider in the one-hour-and-45-minute match.
Marino fired nine aces to offset by five double faults, while Eala managed just one ace and committed two double faults in the defeat.
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