Upset leaves Eala top seed heading into quarterfinals
Upset wasn’t a word thrown around in the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open.
And while the underdog-loving Filipinos cheered a stunner on Wednesday afternoon, they rooted for form to hold when Alex Eala took the court later in the day.
The Filipino tennis star became the tournament’s highest remaining seed after ousting Japanese ace Himeno Sakatsume, 6-4, 6-0, to barge to the quarterfinals of the tournament at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“I’m happy. This was super enjoyable. I think, not looking at the score, it was still a close match,” Eala said. “I was in a lot of tough positions in this match, especially in the first set but I’m just really happy I pulled through.”
Prozorova triumphs
The No. 2 seed now wears the mantle of tournament favorite after Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova took down Tatjana Maria of Germany, 7-6(2), 6-4.
“I’m very proud of myself for this win because I showed a very good game and footwork. Maria did great, too. It’s really tough but I did it,” Prozorova said after the victory, cheered by the Filipino fans.
“It’s a tough fight as you saw in the score. Maria showed a very good game and it’s a good battle.”
Prozorova, who defeated University of Santo Tomas ace Kaye Emana in the Round of 32, showed her composure down the stretch, scoring six break points against one by Maria.
“Maybe today, there’s just more pressure on her,” Prozorovia said, beaming with pride. “Maybe, that’s why I won.”
