ALEX Eala picked up $52,000 for reaching the third qualifying round of the US Open qualifying tournament at Flushing Meadows in New York.
That was how far Eala went after absorbing a three-set loss to Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The loss ended the 20-year-old Eala’s bid to become the first Filipina in history to make it to the main draw of a Grand Slam.
The former world No. 51 Ruse, who is a veteran of all four Grand Slam events, will now advance to the main draw.
Ruse, who reached the second round of the Australian Open and the US Open in 2022, was trailing in the last set after Eala held a 3-2 lead.
When Eala failed to hold her serve for the seventh time in the match, that was when the tide of battle turned in Ruse’s favor.
The 26-year-old Ruse went on to take a 5-3 advantage.
After Eala held on in the ninth game, Ruse made a final stand to take the 10th game and win the contest.
Eala was impressive in the first two rounds of the qualifiers, first bringing down Maddison Inglis of Australia in the opener, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1.
She came up with a 7-5, 7-5 triumph over world No. 99 Nuria Párrizas Díaz of Spain in the second round, arranging the meeting with Ruse.
