By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala recovered from a second-set stumble to complete a stunning 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 win over fourth seed Anna-Lena Friedsam of Germany and book a finals berth in the Kyotec Open in Petange, Luxembourg on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The 18-year-old Eala, seeded ninth in the $40,000 International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament, banked on her strong serves to outhustle her higher-ranked rival and inch closer to her fifth pro title.
Eala was simply awesome, firing seven aces to make up for seven double faults while winning four breakpoints.
Eala next faces third seed Oceane Dodin, a 27-year-old Frenchwoman ranked No. 103 in the Women’s Tennis Association.
Dodin cruised to the finals with a 6-1, 6-3 triumph over unseeded Belgian Hanne Vandewinkle.
Dodin, who seeks her 18th pro singles title and fifth this season, is coming off a championship win in the W60 Nantes in France just last week.
Eala, who is 101 rungs lower than Dodin in the WTA, is looking at closing out her season on a high note.
Now the face of PH tennis, Eala earlier reigned in the W25 Yecla in Spain last May before winning her fourth in the W25 Roehampton in Great Britain last August.
Outside the pro circuit, Eala bagged two bronze medals at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
