Alex Eala fends off Polish foe in rain-delayed Suzhou Open Round of 32 match

Alex Eala weathered a challenge from Katarzyna Kawa of Poland, pulling off a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win during their rain-delayed Round of 32 match at the Suzhou Open WTA 125 on Tuesday in China. 

The Filipina tennis ace, whose momentum was halted following an almost three-hour stoppage in Set 1 due to rain, will move on to the Round of 16 against Greet Minnen of Germany. 

A heavy downpour forced the organizers to suspend the match with Eala and Kawa tied at 2-all in the opening frame. But Eala didn't lose her composure, winning four of the next five games to draw first blood against the 32-year-old Kawa. 

Kawa, however, regained her rhythm in Set 2 and established a quick 5-2 cushion before Eala made some rally to win the next one and pull within two. 

Another downpour halted the game for 10 minutes, but Kawa stayed poised and won Game 9 off a double fault from Eala to win the set and drag the Philippine bet to a deciding Set 3. 

Momentum swung onto Eala as she raced to a 3-1 cushion, but Kawa responded with precise hits to win the next three games and take a 4-3 cushion. 

Eala then took advantage of multiple attack errors from Kawa to win back-to-back games and clinch a 5-4 lead. Kawa, who ranks 124th in the world, dominated the Filipina in the next game before Eala maximized another series of errors from Kawa in Game 11 to clinch the match point at 6-5.

Kawa forced a 40-all deadlock in Game 12, but two consecutive attack errors from her saw Eala take the win to advance to the Round of 16. 

The Suzhou Open is Eala's second straight tournament in China following her semifinals stint at the Jingshan Open last week. 

—JMB, GMA Integrated News