Alex Eala beats Varvara Lepchenko, advances to Guadalajara 125 quarterfinals

Almost a day after their match was suspended due to inclement weather, Alex Eala finished what she started and defeated Varvara Lepchenko, 6(3)-7, 7-6(3), 6-3, in their Round of 16 match in the Guadalajara 125 Open early Friday morning (Philippine time) in Mexico.

Resuming play with a 3-2 lead in the third set, the Filipina tennis ace quickly claimed two more games before Lepchenko responded by winning the eighth game of the set. However, the world no. 75 powered through and eventually sealed the victory.

The first two sets, played on Thursday, were tight contests that both went to tiebreaks, with Lepchenko taking the first set and Eala bouncing back to take the second and force a decider.

Eala is expected to face 30-year-old Nicole Fossa Huergo of Italy in the quarterfinals later today.

Earlier in the tournament, Eala defeated Arianne Hartono in the Round of 32.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News