Alex Eala, Janice Tjen outlast Fernandez-Mladenovic pair in Abu Dhabi Open doubles

Rivals-turned-partners Alex Eala and Janice Tjen showcased Southeast Asian pride, surviving a tense battle to defeat Leylah Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic, 7-5, 3-6, 10-6, in the Abu Dhabi Open doubles round of 16 late Tuesday.

Filipina tennis star Eala and Indonesian ace Tjen, who had battled it out in a previous meeting during the WTA250 Sao Paulo Open quarterfinals last year, advanced to the quarterfinals round. 

Their maiden partnership ousted Canada's Fernandez, who is of Filipino heritage, and France's Mladenovic from the doubles tournament. 

Eala and Tjen, though, had to overcome a slow start with the other camp surging to a 2-0 start in Set 1. The Southeast Asian bets then won four of the next five games to build a 4-3 lead before Fernandez and Mladenovic tied it up at 4-all. 

But Eala and Tjen closed out the opening frame by winning three of the succeeding games to draw first blood. 

The Canadian-French pair, though, dominated the second set with Fernandez unleashing a strong forehand to win it and level the affair. 

In the tie-break, Eala and Tjen were quick to establish a crucial 4-1 cushion thanks to a double fault and attack error from Mladenovic. A pair of double faults from Fernandez then saw Eala and Tjen racing to a 6-3 cushion. 

Two costly errors from Tjen, along with a Fernandez forehand winner, allowed the opposition to force a 6-all deadlock.

Tjen quickly atoned for those after unleashing three straight blistering shots to complement Eala’s forehand attack as the pair closed out the match on a decisive 4-0 run.

Eala is coming off a historic homecoming, having competed on Philippine soil for the first time last week at the Philippine Women’s Open. She bowed out in the quarterfinals after falling to eventual champion Camila Osorio.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News