FILIPINA teenager Alex Eala's quest for the French Open girls juniors title ended at the semifinal stage after losing to home hope Elsa Jacquemot, 3-6, 2-6, on Friday night (Manila time).
Jacquemot came out swinging right in the first set, breaking the Filipina in the fifth and ninth games to set the tone for the dominant performance that sealed for her a place in the finals.
Eala showed signs of life by breaking her third-seeded foe in the first game of the second set, but the 17-year-old Jacquemot won five successive games to roll to victory.
Jacquemot will now face world No. 38 Alina Charaeva of Russia in the finals.
Despite the loss, Eala's gallant run matched the grand slam feat of Felix Barrientos, who reached the semifinals of the boys juniors at Wimbledon in 1985.
The Filipina only won 35 percent receiving points while Jacquemot unleashed three services aces in the match that lasted only 57 minutes.
This feat will also add up 430 points to her tally in the ITF Worlds Juniors ranking, which is likely to transition after the tournament.
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