ALEX Eala pushed it to the limit, but third-seeded Victoria Mboko proved too tough a nut to crack, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, in a two-hour and 27-minute battle in the round of 16 of the WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open on Thursday night.
The Filipina, world No. 51, had the third seed on the ropes early - jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the deciding set before Mboko flipped the script.
From there, though, the Canadian caught fire, stringing together five straight games to snatch the victory and a ticket to the quarterfinals.
It was a hard-fought match from the start. Eala took the opener with steady composure before Mboko answered back.
The third set mirrored their tug-of-war all night long.
Despite showing poise and grit against one of the field’s top contenders, Eala ultimately ran out of answers down the stretch.
READ: Leylah Fernandez bonds with Alex Eala, connects with Pinoy fans
The Hong Kong stop now closes her Asian swing, marking the end of a stretch that tested her resolve against the tour’s rising names.
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