Alex Eala kicked off her clay-season bid after pulling off a straight-sets win over home bet Julia Grabher, 6–4, 6–3, to clinch a Round of 16 berth in her Linz Open debut on April 8 at the Design Center Linz in Austria.
In a tight second set at 4–3, Eala pulled away with a 2–0 run through her forehand winners before capitalizing Grabher’s out-of-bounds returns to seal the deal.
After the match, the Filipina tennis sensation acknowledged the hometown favorite’s fierce playing style during a post-game interview.
“She’s a very intense player and has really good shots, so I’m really happy with the win,” said Eala.
She also expressed gratitude for the warm welcome she got in her first appearance in Linz.
“I think it’s amazing. I’m really happy with how they’ve welcomed me and welcomed the Filipinos,” she added.
Eala trailed early from the opening set, 2–3, as she struggled to find an answer to her counterpart’s flurry forehand drives and smashes.
Their tussle led into a 4–all as they traded drop shots, until Eala capped a 2–0 run, aided by Grabher’s forehand misfire to eventually take the outset.
While maintaining momentum, Eala ignited a three-game cushion, 4–1, after slotting a bundle of backhand winners and topping it off with a cross-court drop.
Grabher then cut her deficit down to one, 4–3, yet Eala capitalized on unforced errors in the eighth game to complete a 2–0 burst and notch the win.
Eala will next face the former Grand Slam champion Jeļena Ostapenko in the Round of 16.
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