ALEX Eala suffered another early exit on Tuesday bowing to American qualifier Claire Liu, 6–2, 4–6, 4–6, in their round-of-32 clash at the Guangzhou Open in China.
The world no. 53 Filipina and tournament fourth seed looked in control early, sweeping six straight games to take the opener. But after that bright start, the match slipped away.
READ Alex Eala falls at first hurdle in Osaka after loss to Czech teen
Liu, ranked No. 305 in the world, wrestled back momentum in the second set and never looked back, outlasting Eala in a two-hour, 28-minute grind in the WTA 125 event.
The loss marks Eala’s third first-round exit in five tournaments during her Asian swing, following a round-of-32 loss in Osaka and a qualifying round one stumble in a WTA 1000 event in Wuhan.
Eala returns to the court on Wednesday for doubles action, where she teams up with Ukraine’s Nadiia Kichenok for the first time.
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