Alex Eala takes a set off seeded foe but bows out of Tunisia tourney

Alex Eala pulled off a serious scare against her seeded opponent before bowing out in the second round of the W15 Monastir tournament in Tunisia on Friday (Manila time).

The 14-year-old Filipina sensation pushed no. 3 seed Nina Stadler of Switzerland to the limit before losing in three sets, 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-5.

The match was the only three-setter in the second round as the other seeds took care of business against their challengers.

It was an impressive showing for the junior world no. 4, who was playing in her first professional tournament.

Eala had a slow start in the first round, but this time she rose to the occasion and took the first set to put pressure on the Swiss.

She came close to orchestrating the upset of the tournament in the second set, but Stadler survived her onslaught to force the decider.

Eala kept asserting herself in the third set, but Stadler eventually got the better of her and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Eala, who trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain, was fresh off her Australian Open juniors doubles championship in January. —MGP, GMA News