Alexandra Eala bowed out of the Miami Open Round of 16 early Tuesday (Manila time), falling 0-6, 2-6 to Doha champion Karolina Muchova, whose dominant serving proved overwhelming.
Muchova delivered a near-flawless performance, firing 20 service winners in an hour-long masterclass. “It felt pretty good. I mean, you get nervous here and there when it’s going, I don’t want to say easy, but when the score is in your favor you have to be cautious,” she said in a post-match interview.
The 29-year-old Czech surged ahead with 10 consecutive points and built a commanding 4-0 lead in the second set, highlighted by a lengthy rally in the ninth game. Closing out the match wasn’t without resistance, as she needed to navigate two deuces before sealing victory with a forehand volley and a smash.
Eala struggled to find rhythm, committing 13 unforced errors and producing just seven winners.
Muchova dominated early, sweeping through the first 10 games with minimal resistance and wrapping up the opening set in just 22 minutes.
The 20-year-old Filipina showed some fight in the second set, earning her first game point in the fifth game after a Muchova drive volley sailed long. She managed to hold serve twice but ultimately couldn’t adjust to Muchova’s relentless serving.
Despite the loss, Eala takes home $105,720 (around ₱6.29 million) and 120 ranking points from her Miami Open campaign.
