Camille Naredo

Alexandra Eala of the Phiippines plays a forehand against Coco Gauff of the United States in their third round match of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 08, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images/AFP

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 08: Alexandra Eala of the Phiippines plays a forehand against Coco Gauff of the United States in their third round match of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 08, 2026 in Indian Wells, California.   Clive Brunskill/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by CLIVE BRUNSKILL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

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BNP Paribas Open 2026 - Day 5

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773033486773AFP__20260309__2265509308__v1__HighRes__BnpParibasOpen2026Day5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Alexandra Eala of the Phiippines plays a forehand against Coco Gauff of the United States in their third round match of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 08, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images/AFP" width="960"/>Alexandra Eala of the Phiippines plays a forehand against Coco Gauff of the United States in their third round match of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 08, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. Clive Brunskill, Getty Images/AFPMANILA -- Filipina tennis star Alex Eala hailed Coco Gauff as an &quot;amazing competitor and amazing role model&quot; after the American retired from their third-round match at Indian Wells with an arm injury.</div>Eala was ahead 6-2, 2-0 when Gauff approached her at the net and confirmed that she could not continue. Gauff, a two-time Grand Slam champion, had her left arm wrapped and had already received treatment during an injury timeout in the opening set.The pair exchanged a hug at the net, and Eala checked on Gauff anew before the American headed to the locker room.&quot;Ibinahagi niya lang &#x27;yung nararamdaman niya. Siyempre may kaunting pain sa braso but &#x27;yan lang &#x27;yung masasabi ko tungkol doon sa pinag-usapan namin,&quot; Eala told reporters when asked about their exchange.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/3/9/alex-eala-advances-to-indian-wells-round-16-after-coco-gauff-retires-1029">READ: Alex Eala advances to round of 16 in Indian Wells after Gauff retires</a></div>In an on-court interview, Eala wished for Gauff&#x27;s speedy recovery while also hailing her as a trailblazer.&quot;I want to say Happy Women&#x27;s Day, everybody,&quot; said Eala. &quot;I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way for other women, among them is Coco.&quot;&quot;So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model and I really hope that everything is well and that you would recover soon,&quot; she added. Gauff said the pain &quot;felt like a firework going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire.&quot;And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even on shots that I wasn&#x27;t even using my left arm for ... it was a scary feeling,&quot; she added.The American said in an Instagram Story that she is set to undergo an MRI. &quot;I felt a weird pain in my left arm in the second game of the match. I tried to continue but it was only getting more intense … It was such an unfamiliar pain I decided it was best not to continue,&quot; she explained.&quot;Good luck to Alex the rest of the way, always a pleasure sharing the court with you,&quot; added Gauff.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773034564767IMG_4488.jpg" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="600"/>American star Coco Gauff explains her decision to retire due to an arm injury. Gauff/IG Stories</div>The 20-year-old Eala acknowledged afterward that it was not her preferred way to advance, but Eala was still pleased with her performance.It was a marked improvement from her first encounter with Gauff just last month in Dubai, which the American won comfortably, 6-0, 6-2. This time, Eala showed a greater variety of shots and kept Gauff on her toes.&quot;It&#x27;s a difficult decision to retire from a match, I know. No one likes winning like that and no one likes losing like that,&quot; said Eala.&quot;Nevertheless, I&#x27;m really happy with how I played. I&#x27;m really happy with my performance and I hope I can make the best out of the momentum,&quot; she added.Up next for Eala is Czech Linda Noskova for a place in the quarter-finals.&quot;I have not thought about it yet. If I&#x27;m being completely transparent, I just got off the court, but Linda is an amazing player, very powerful and, and even at such a young age, very experienced,&quot; Eala said of her next foe.&quot;So I&#x27;m excited. It&#x27;s my first fourth round in Indian Wells, so I&#x27;m gonna go in with good preparation and a lot of motivation,&quot; she added. -- with Agence France-Presse

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala hailed Coco Gauff as an "amazing competitor and amazing role model" after the American retired from their third-round match at Indian Wells with an arm injury.

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala hailed Coco Gauff as an "amazing competitor and amazing role model" after the American retired from their third-round match at Indian Wells with an arm injury.

Tennis: Alex Eala hopes for Gauff's speedy recovery -- 'An amazing competitor'

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Tennis: Alex Eala hopes for Gauff's speedy recovery -- 'An amazing competitor'

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 09, 2026 01:20 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 09, 2026 01:36 PM PHT

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abssports

tennis

Indian Wells

BNP Paribas Open

Alex Eala

Coco Gauff

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