By NIKOLE JAVIER
Alex Eala marched into the quarterfinal round of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) W75 Porto in Portugal in dominant style, clobbering Ukranian Katarina Zavatska, 6-0, 6-3, on Thursday, Feb. 22.
Eala, 18, was relentless from start to the endgame two weeks since suffering a early exit in the Abu Dhabi Open.
In the second set, the 24-year-old Zavatska regained momentary consciousness after taking a 2-1 lead.
However, the Filipina refused to blink as she fought back vigorously to win Games 4 and 5 for a 3-2 lead.
Zavatska managed to go level with Eala after winning the 6th game but it proved to her last as Eala stepped up her attack once again, coming through with whistling winners to prevail.
It was a fitting win to her 6-4, 6-2 victory over 26-year-old veteran Raluca Georgiana Serban of Cyprus in the opening round where she shrugged off a slow start in the eventual lopsided affair.
In the quarters, Eala will face Italian Anna Bondár on Friday, Feb. 23, at 8:30 p.m.
Eala and British partner Ali Collins succumbed to the German-British pairing of 30-year-olds Alicia Barnett and Anna-Lena Friedsam, 3-6, 4-6.
