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Tennis: Alex Eala achieves maiden W100 semifinal berth in Spain

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Rosy Mina

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo courtesy of Alex Eala on Facebook" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/09/08/20220908-alex-eala.jpg"/><figcaption>Alex Eala at the 2022 US Open Juniors. <em>Photo courtesy of Alex Eala on Facebook.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p> Alex Eala of the Philippines secured her first semifinal at the W100 level in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win over home bet Lucia Cortez Llorca in the quarterfinals on Friday.</p><p>This is Eala’s best W100 showing to date on the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour, following her second-round results last year in Shrewsbury, Great Britain and Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland.</p><p>The 18-year-old Filipino had a 0-2 start in the Vitoria-Gasteiz quarters clash on the Pista Amutio outdoor hard court of Peña Vitoriana Tenis Club.</p><p>The WTA World No. 258 and three-time ITF singles champion quickly turned things around by leveling the score via a forehand approach shot, and improved to 4-2 with a love service hold.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/21/23/tennis-eala-advances-to-quarterfinals-of-w100-spain">Tennis: Alex Eala advances to quarterfinals of W100 Spain</a></li></ul><p>After breaking serve with a crisp backhand down the line, Eala served out the 35-minute first set on her second opportunity, 6-2. </p><p>The 23-year-old Cortez Llorca, who stunned French No. 2 seed Oceane Dodin in the second round, regrouped in the following set and imposed a 3-0 edge by holding serve to love.</p><p>The Spanish World No. 406 extended her lead to 5-1 after her backhand slice elicited a long forehand.</p><p>Eala broke back courtesy of a double fault as Cortez Llorca was serving for the set. She managed to narrow the gap to 4-5, saving a set point along the way.</p><p>The break was immediately returned by the Spaniard as she clinched the second set due to a double fault, 6-4.</p><p>In the deciding third set, Eala fought through six deuces to break for 1-0, thanks to a composed backhand winner at the net.</p><p>The Filipino continued to overpower her opponent, 5-1, by remaining solid in rallies.</p><p>Cortez Llorca retaliated by holding serve to trail at 2-5, then brought the eighth game to deuce as Eala was serving for the match.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/20/23/tennis-eala-upsets-romanias-cristian-at-w100-spain">Tennis: Eala upsets Romania’s Cristian at W100 Spain</a></li></ul><p>On her second match point, Eala secured the win, 6-2, to challenge third seed and World No. 137 Jessika Ponchet of France in the semifinals scheduled on Saturday. </p><p>The French netter with nine ITF singles titles defeated Eala in straight sets last year in the semis of the Vitoria-Gasteiz tournament when it was a W60 event.</p><p>A year later, Eala returned to the upgraded W100 tilt in Northern Spain with an impressive ouster of Romanian fifth seed and World No. 123 Jaqueline Cristian in the opening round, 7-6(5), 6-7(1), 6-2.</p><p>The 2022 US Open Juniors singles winner backed this up with a victory over Chinese qualifier and World No. 840 Tianmi Mi in the second round, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-0.</p><p>In the doubles draw, Eala and Marina Bassols Ribera of Spain shocked Indian second seeds Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare in the first round, 6-2, 6-2, before losing to Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia and Estelle Cascino of France in the quarterfinals, 5-7, 6-1, 9-11.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2261758" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Alex Eala of the Philippines secured her first semifinal at the W100 level in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win over home bet Lucia Cortez Llorca in the quarterfinals on Friday.