TENNIS

Alex Eala, Russian partner reach French Open Juniors doubles semis

Alex Eala and her Russian partner Oksana Selekhmeteva reached the semifinals of the 2021 French Open Juniors after dispatching Petra Marcinko of Croatia and Natalia Szabanin of Hungary in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The Filipina tennis sensation and Selekhmeteva, like in their two previous outings, swept their opponents, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5), to keep their Roland Garros bid alive and kicking.

But it wasn't an easy feat for the Filipina-Russian tandem.

After inching closer at finishing the first set at 5-2, the opposing side found its rhythm to win four-straight games and steal the upper hand at 6-5. Eala's camp, however, dominated the 12th game to bring the game into a tiebreaker.

The top-seeded pair of Eala, 16, and Selekhmeteva, 18, convincingly copped the tiebreaker to wrap up the opening set, 7-6.

The two carried their momentum heading to the second set to finish it off, 7-6.

Prior to tonight’s game, Eala and Selekhmeteva made quick work of Belgium's Sofia Costoulas and Finland's Laura Hietaranta, 6-3, 6-1, in the girls' doubles second round on Tuesday.

—MGP, GMA News