Alex Eala fends off Magda Linette, advances to Miami Open Round of 16

Alexandra "Alex" Eala overcame Poland’s Magda Linette, 6-3, 7-6(2), in the Round of 32 of the Miami Open on Sunday (Philippine time) to advance to the fourth round of the Sunshine Swing tournament.

Eala dominated the opening set, sealing it in just 40 minutes. However, Linette mounted a strong challenge in the second set in an attempt to force a decider.

After trailing 1-3, Linette rallied to take a 4-3 lead. The two players then traded games before ending in a 6-6 deadlock. In the tiebreak, Eala surged to a 3-1 advantage and added three more points to move within reach of the win. Linette saved one match point, but Eala ultimately closed out the match after an hour and 48 minutes of action.

Eala will next face Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova in the Round of 16.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News