Alex Eala ends Sao Paulo Open run after loss to Indonesia’s Janice Tjen

Taking part in in her eighth match in lower than two weeks, Alex Eala appears worn out as she exits the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil following a straight-sets loss to fellow Southeast Asian historical past maker Janice Tjen of Indonesia

MANILA, Philippines – The grind appeared to have caught up with Alex Eala.

Eala seemed worn out as she exited the WTA 250 Sao Paulo Open in Brazil following a 6-4, 6-1 loss to fellow Southeast Asian historical past maker Janice Tjen of Indonesia within the quarterfinals on the Villa-Lobos State Park on Friday, September 12 (Saturday, September 13, Manila time).

Taking part in in her eighth match in lower than two weeks, third seed Eala blew a 3-0 begin and succumbed to the big-hitting Tjen, who superior to a WTA Tour semifinal for the primary time in her profession.

Climbing out of that early gap, Tjen fired 23 winners in opposition to simply 4 by Eala because the Indonesian received 12 of the subsequent 14 video games to stun the world No. 61 Filipina.

Eala remained inside putting distance when she obtained on break level for an opportunity to tie the second set at 2-2, however her return on the subsequent play went straight to the online after which Tjen fired an ace and a forehand volley winner in succession to carry serve and seize a 3-1 lead.

There was no stopping the underdog Tjen from there because the world No. 130 wrapped up the match in 1 hour and 12 minutes.

Eala saved a match level, however that solely stalled Tjen, who clinched the victory with back-to-back forehand winners.

“I’m fairly pleased with how I performed as we speak,” stated Tjen. “Taking part in in opposition to Alex Eala, everyone knows that she will be able to come again any time. I’m simply attempting to focus and keep in it up till the tip.”

The loss snapped a seven-match successful streak by Eala as her bid for a second straight title following her breakthrough triumph within the WTA 125 Guadalajara Open in Mexico got here to an finish.

After successful all of her 5 matches in Mexico, Eala introduced her wonderful kind to Brazil as she beat France’s Yasmine Mansouri and Argentina’s Julia Riera within the first two rounds to rearrange a conflict between two Southeast Asian trailblazers with Tjen.

The 2 scored breakthroughs for his or her respective international locations within the latest US Open, with Eala turning into the primary Filipino to win a Grand Slam primary draw match within the Open period when she shocked Denmark’s Clara Tauson within the opening spherical.

Tjen additionally earned then the primary Grand Slam win by an Indonesian in 22 years following her upset of Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova.

Now, it’s Tjen who marches on to make extra historical past for her nation as she turned the primary Indonesian to achieve a WTA semifinal since Angelique Widjaja dominated the now-defunct Pattaya Open in Thailand in 2002.

Tjen faces sixth seed Francesca Jones of Nice Britain subsequent for a spot within the finale. – Rappler.com