Alex Eala falls to Coco Gauff, exits Dubai Tennis Championships

Alexandra “Alex” Eala bowed to world No. 4 Coco Gauff, 6-0, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships late Thursday (Philippine time), ending her campaign in the WTA 1000 tournament.

Gauff dominated the opening set in just 26 minutes, then won four straight games in the second to seize control despite Eala’s efforts.

The Filipina fought back with consecutive games to remain in the match, but Gauff quickly regained her footing and closed out the match to secure a semifinal berth.

Gauff had nothing but praise for her opponent.

“Alex is a tough competitor and even when I was up, I knew that she could come back at any given moment. I've seen her do it before so thank you guys for coming out here,” Gauff said in her post-match interview.

“I know you're mostly supporting Alex, but I have to say it is great to be on a crowded court,” the American added, noting that she imagined the cheers were for her to stay motivated.

Earlier in the tournament, Eala advanced past the first round after Hailey Baptiste retired due to an abdominal injury. She then stunned world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini in the Round of 32 before defeating Sorana Cirstea in the Round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals.

The loss also marked the end of Eala’s Middle East swing.

After a quarterfinal finish in the Philippine Women’s Open, Eala competed in the United Arab Emirates, reaching the quarterfinals of the Abu Dhabi Open before falling to Ekaterina Alexandrova. She later exited early in Qatar before heading to Dubai.

Eala will now turn her focus to the Sunshine Swing where she is expected to play in the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News