Alexandra Eala’s run at the Qatar Open ended early, with the Filipina bowing out in the opening round against Tereza Valentova.
In the first-set tiebreak, Eala fought off three set points, hinting at another comeback after her recent win in Abu Dhabi.
But she could not keep it going. She dropped the tiebreak 8-6 and could not find her rhythm in the second set, eventually losing 7-6, 6-1.
The defeat was made even harder to take given that Eala’s opponent was two years younger.
But there were still positives to take away. She battled hard again and will now look ahead to her next WTA Tour event, though details of that appearance have not been finalised yet.
Before the competition, Eala drew comparisons to a current WTA star – a player who had previously reached a Grand Slam final.
Tina Krizan draws Leylah Fernandez comparison for Alexandra Eala
During the warm-ups for Monday’s match, Sky Sports commentator Tina Krizan took a moment to talk about Eala’s playing style and what makes her stand out.
Krizan, who was once ranked as high as 19th in the world, said: “A leftie, good serve, good groundstrokes, moves well. Reminds me a little bit of Leylah Fernandez, but [she] has got slightly heavier shots from the baseline.
“Certainly a lot of potential already, even to make it higher than she already is, ranked 40 in the world.
“They [Eala and Valentova] both made a big jump in the last couple of years actually. Two years ago, Eala was around 160 in the rankings, so a big jump for her. Especially after Miami when she beat Swiatek.
“I mean, that’s a big win at the highest level when you’re able to do that and she managed to do that really well.
“She’s had a decent season this year. Semi-final in Auckland and quarter-final in Abu Dhabi last week.”
Eala reached another milestone after Abu Dhabi by becoming the first Filipina ever to break into the WTA top 40.
And there is no reason why her rise should stop anytime soon. She already has groundstrokes worthy of a top-20 player, and has proven time and again that she has the fight to match.
Alexandra Eala’s serve again stands out as a concern
Eala’s serve continues to be a concern, and that issue was evident once again on Monday.
She faced seven break points during the match, with Valentova breaking her four times. The 20-year-old also managed to win just 56 per cent of her first-serve points and only 47 per cent of her second serve.
By contrast, Valentova struggled more on second serve, winning only 44 per cent of those points, but was far more effective behind her first. She hit four aces and won 75 per cent of her first-serve points overall.
If Eala wants to establish herself among the sport’s elite, she will need to add more speed and power to her delivery. Right now, she relies heavily on baseline play to win points, which is physically demanding and can leave openings for opponents.
A stronger serve would allow the world No. 40 to pick up more quick points, easing the pressure during her own service games and making her overall game plan more efficient in the long run.
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