Alex Eala inched closer to her third International Tennis Federation professional title after advancing to the final of the W25 Yecla women’s singles tournament on Sunday at the Yecla Club de Tennis in Spain.
The 17-year-old Eala clobbered Lucia Peyre of Argentina, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, in the semifinals to move a win away from winning her third pro title since the W15 Manacor in Spain in 2021 and W25 Chiang Rai in Thailand last year.
The win also sent her to the final for the first time since losing to Marina Bassols Ribera in the championship round of the W60 Madrid, 4-6, 5-7, also in Spain.
But moving to the final wasn’t easy.
The three-time Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist won the first set but had to withstand the fiery rally of her Argentinian foe, who won three straight games to turn a 2-4 deficit into a 4-5 lead.
Eala regained her form and tied the second set, 5-5, but Peyre displayed grace under pressure as she took the lead and scored a crucial breakpoint to force a decider.
The Filipina never wavered in the deciding set, unleashing a 3-0 start for a 5-2 lead. Although Peyre fought back and won two games to trim the gap to 5-4, Eala stood tall to wrap up the match in two hours and 25 minutes.
Eala said she will definitely go for the kill when she faces Valentina Ryser of Switzerland in the final.
“Over the moon to be competing in my first final of the year,” Eala said in a social media post as she braces for an all-out war against 22-year-old Ryser, who upset fourth seed Eva Guerrero of Spain, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, in the other semifinal pairing.
“I’m bringing positive energy to the court tomorrow.”
