By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Alex Eala yielded to top seed Polina Kudermetova, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, in the semifinals of the W100 Dubai International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Eala, seeded fourth in the $100,000 event, failed to sustain her hot start, losing steam early in the second set and never recovered.
Kudermetova continued her dominance in the deciding frame by taking a 2-1 lead, then went on to break Eala’s serve in the seventh game that all but finally disarmed the Filipina ace.
Prior to the defeat, Eala routed Rada Zolotareva, 6-2, 6-3; Yuliya Hatouka, 6-3, 7-5; and Japanese Kyoka Okamura, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
She also competed in the doubles with Greek partner Valentini Grammatikopoulou, but the duo lost in the quarters to Dutch Isabelle Haverlag and Elena Pridankina, 5-7, 6-4, 10-3.
