Alex Eala beats Julia Riera, sets up QF duel vs Indonesian Janice Tjen in SP Open

Alex Eala defeated Julia Riera of Argentina, 6-1, 6-4, on Thursday morning (Philippine time) in the Round of 16 of the SP Open in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to advance to the quarterfinals.

After a dominant first set win, Eala fell behind 1-2 in the second set as world no. 188 Riera took a 2-1 lead. However, the Filipina ace responded by winning three straight games to take a 4-2 advantage.

Riera closed the gap by taking the seventh game of the said set, but Eala answered back to move within one game of victory. The Argentinian managed one more push, but Eala ultimately sealed the match.

Eala said in a post-game interview that she was enjoying her time in Brazil.

"Yes, I said the other day that Brazilians are super hospitable and that’s one thing I think that we have in common with the Philippines. I’m feeling at home and I love the atmosphere tonight," Eala said.

With the win, Eala will face Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in the quarterfinals in a battle between two of Southeast Asia’s top players.

The victory also marked Eala’s second win over Riera in their three career meetings.

Eala opened the tournament with a victory against Yasmine Mansouri of France, 6-0, 6-2.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News