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Tennis: Alex Eala stuns Elizabeth Mandlik to qualify for Guangzhou Open

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Rosy Mina

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Alex Eala at the 2023 W100 Tokyo in Japan. Ando Securities Open on Facebook" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/09/17/20230917-alex.jpg"/><figcaption>Alex Eala at the 2023 W100 Tokyo in Japan. <em>Ando Securities Open on Facebook</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Alex Eala of the Philippines prevailed over Elizabeth Mandlik of the United States in the Guangzhou Open qualifiers in China on Sunday, 7-5, 7-6(3), to progress into the main draw of the WTA 250 event against third seed Tatjana Maria of Germany.</p><p>It was the third time that the 18-year-old Filipino qualified for a WTA main draw, following her opening-round finishes at the Thailand Open in January and Japan Women’s Open in Osaka this week.</p><p>Eala, currently with a career-best ranking of 195th in the world, was the No. 10 seed in the qualifying draw.</p><p>WTA World No. 167 Mandlik, the daughter of four-time grand slam champion Hana Mandlikova, was the qualifying sixth seed.</p><p>The 22-year-old American, who peaked at 97th in June, led at 3-1 and 4-2 by holding serve at deuce.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/12/23/tennis-alex-eala-booted-out-of-japan-womens-open">Tennis: Alex Eala booted out of Japan Women’s Open</a></li></ul><p>Eala equalized at 4-4 with a break at deuce, and broke back to level at 5-5 as Mandlik was serving for the set.</p><p>At 6-5, Eala broke again at deuce on her second set point to gain the upper hand, 7-5.</p><p>The competitors went on to exchange breaks to tie the score at 4-4 in the second set.</p><p>Eala leveled at 5-5 by breaking Mandlik as she was serving for the set, then saved a break point to hold for 6-5.</p><p>Mandlik secured a love hold to bring up a tiebreak, which Eala dominated with a 4-1 edge.</p><p>Eala proceeded to gain three match points at 6-3, and she immediately converted the next mini-break to emerge victorious after two hours and four minutes of play, 7-6(3).</p><p>In the opening round of qualifiers on Saturday, Eala overcame World No. 278 En-Shuo Liang of Chinese Taipei in a tough battle, 5-7, 6-1, 7-5.</p><p>The Filipino enjoyed a 3-0 lead, which she extended to 5-3 until the 22-year-old Liang caught up, saved two break points to hold, and broke to take the opening set, 7-5.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/19/23/alex-eala-on-pro-tennis-career-still-a-long-way-to-go">Alex Eala on pro tennis career: Still a long way to go</a></li></ul><p>Eala then cruised through the second set, 6-1, by breaking for 3-0, holding at deuce to be at 5-1, and breaking once more on her first of two set points as Liang was serving to stay in the set.</p><p>Both players leveled up in the deciding set as there were no service breaks until the 12th and final game.</p><p>At 6-5, the Filipino broke for the seventh time in the match to triumph after two hours and 10 minutes, 7-5.</p><p>The Galaxy Holding Group Guangzhou Open, which offers USD 259,303 in prize money, is being held on the outdoor hard courts of the Guangzhou Nansha International Tennis Center. </p><p>The WTA tournament is bannered by World No. 24 Magda Linette of Poland, 35th-ranked Lin Zhu of China, and No. 48 Maria, who has beaten Eala twice this year in the opening round of the Thailand Open and Madrid Open.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wbaUeKwfLlw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></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><div><br/> </div>

Alex Eala prevailed over Elizabeth Mandlik in the Guangzhou Open qualifiers in China on Sunday to progress into the main draw of the WTA 250 event.