Alex Eala exits US Open after loss to lower-ranked Cristina Bucsa

Alex Eala fails to weave the identical magic from her excellent first-round win as she absorbs a straight-sets loss to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa to wrap up her US Open run

MANILA, Philippines – Errors plagued Alex Eala as she noticed her historic marketing campaign within the US Open come to an finish.

Eala didn’t weave the identical magic from her excellent first-round win and absorbed a 6-4, 6-3 loss to world No. 95 Cristina Bucsa of Spain at Courtroom 7 of the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Heart in New York on Wednesday, August 27 (Thursday, August 28, Manila time).

A slight favourite being ranked increased at world No. 75, Eala squandered a first-set lead and struggled to realize momentum as she recorded 21 unforced errors in a match that took simply 1 hour and 22 minutes to complete.

It was merely not the day for the Filipina, who was on the cusp of a 5-3 lead within the opening set however was unable to transform on two break factors, permitting Bucsa to tug degree.

Bucsa then broke Eala to grab the higher hand at 5-4 and saved three break factors within the tenth sport to clinch the set.

Eala additionally led within the second set at 2-1 solely to lose 4 of the subsequent six video games.

Filipinos in attendance erupted when Eala saved match level with a forehand winner, however that was adopted by back-to-back errors that despatched 27-year-old Bucsa to the third spherical of the US Open for the primary time in her profession.

Bucsa bought again at Eala after dropping to the Filipina within the W25 Grenoble in France in 2021, their head-to-head document now standing at 1-1.

Nonetheless, the 20-year-old Eala made historical past as the primary Filipino to win a Grand Slam essential draw match within the Open period when she shocked Denmark’s Clara Tauson within the opening spherical.

Eala scored the breakthrough triumph after first-round exits within the French Open in Might and the Wimbledon Championships in July.

By reaching the final 64 in New York, Eala will pocket $154,000 (nearly P8.8 million). – Rappler.com