By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala and Brazilian partner Laura Pigossi outlasted their more experienced rivals in Italian Sara Errani and Mexico’s Renata Zarazu, 5-7, 6-0, 10-6, and booked a quarterfinals berth in the Workday Canberra International in Australia on Wednesday, Jan. 3.
The unseeded pair fought back from a tight opening set defeat with a dominant win in the second frame to force a deciding third set which they also won to advance to the round-of-8 of the $125,000 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournament.
Eala and Pigossi, however, need to raise their level of game a notch higher if they are to beat the fourth seeded tandem of Celine Naef of Switzerland and Anna Bondar of Hungary, who won via default over Americans Elizabeth Mandlik and Katie Volynets.
Incidentally, Eala bowed to Naef in her first qualifying round match in this event, 6-4, 7-5.
Eala is using the event as her final tune-up before seeing action in the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open.
Eala, who is now ranked No. 185 in the world, is bidding to win her first pro doubles title after winning four singles titles, including two last year.
