Globe Ambassador and tennis prodigy Alexandra Eala bombed out in the singles’ competition of the 2020 Australian Open juniors tournament in Melbourne, but barged into the semifinals of the doubles’ category with Indonesian partner Priska Nugroho.
The 4th-seeded Eala and Nugroho turned back the 7th-seeded French duo of Droguet and Janicijevic, 7-6,(7-2) 6-2 to reach the last four of the season-opening Grand slam. Globe Ambassador and tennis prodigy Alexandra Eala bombed out in the singles’ competition of the 2020 Australian Open juniors tournament in Melbourne, but barged into the semifinals of the doubles’ category with Indonesian partner Priska Nugroho.
Eala and Nugroho trailed, 3-5, at the start of the 1st set, before turning on the heat the rest of the way.
They will next meet top seeds Kamilla Bartonbe, a Latvia/2019 US Open doubles’ champion, and Czech Linda Fruhvirtova.
Eala earlier booted out Julie Belgraver in three sets to book a place in the third round of singles, where she fell to 16th seed Yi Cody of Hong Kong, 1-6, 3-6.
Eala beat her French rival, 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 to crash the third round of the grand slam tournament for the first time in her promising career.
The 14-year-old tennis sensation, a Globe ambassador since 2016, overcame a big comeback by Belgraver in the second set by pouncing on her rival’s unforced errors in the deciding set for the breakthrough win.
Eala, a Rafa Nadal Academy scholar, has surpassed her second round result in last year’s US Open juniors event.
