Alex Eala defeated by Linda Noskova in the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open.
Alex Eala’s journey at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells has concluded in the round of 16, as she was defeated by Linda Noskova in a matchup between former junior competitors.
The 20-year-old Filipina was beaten 2-6, 0-6 by the No. 14 seed at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Wednesday.
Eala, the No. 31 seed, had previously triumphed over the Czech player twice in junior events, first in the Les Petit As-Le Mondial Lacoste final in Tarbes, France, in 2018, and then in the quarterfinals of the 2020 French Open girls’ tournament, but she struggled in their inaugural professional encounter.
Noskova set the tone early in the first set, breaking Eala in her opening service game to gain early momentum. She nearly surged to a 3-0 advantage, but Eala demonstrated resilience by saving two break points to get on the scoreboard.
The Czech maintained pressure from the baseline and eventually established a lead at 4-2, converting another vital break in the seventh game before securing the set in the eighth. Noskova’s effective serving was a key factor, as she delivered three aces and won 80% of her first-serve points.
The second set mirrored the first, with Eala unable to find her rhythm as the Czech player dominated to achieve a bagel. Noskova’s serving performance remained consistent, concluding with seven aces and winning 78% of her first-serve points.
Eala had previously defeated Dayana Yastremska from Ukraine, having received a bye into the second round, and Coco Gauff, the No. 4 seed from the U.S., who retired in the second set during the third round, to advance to the round of 16. Her loss to Noskova extends her challenging record against Czech players, with Eala now at 0-11 against competitors from Czechia in her professional career.
The Filipina will now head to the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, where she aims to build on the confidence gained from her breakthrough semifinal appearance in last year’s event.
Source: espn.com
