Eala reaches quarter-finals in Dubai after defeating Cirstea

Twenty-year-old Alexandra Eala has defeated Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-4 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday to book a last-eight date with world No. 4 Coco Gauff.

“I take it all in with a spoonful of gratitude,” Eala said, after being cheered on like the superstar she is quickly becoming among her compatriots.

The world No. 47, the highest-ranked Filipina in WTA Tour history, showed quiet confidence from the first game, slowly grinding down her veteran opponent and reaching the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament for the second time in her fledgling career.

Cirstea came into the tie 15 places higher in the world rankings, having reached the semifinals at the championship two years ago.

With the first set going with serve through 10 games, Eala finally grabbed the break she needed to take a 6-5 lead before consolidating.

When Eala closed out the win, she turned her focus to Thursday: “Win or lose, it’s a great opportunity for me to learn. Obviously facing a player like Coco is something that people would kill to do - and in a quarterfinal here in Dubai as well, so I’m super excited.”

Earlier in the evening on the same court, Gauff had hit 16 double-faults and was forced to save three second-set match-points as she fought back against Elise Mertens to confirm her place on other side of the net. The American, ranked No. 4 in the world, progressed, 2-6, 7-6(9), 6-3, but it was painful viewing - even for her.

“I’m trying to be positive,” she said. “I’m critical. I feel like… I don’t know. It’s weird. I feel like the last tournament I took some steps forward, and today I took some steps backwards, but still got the win. It’s a weird feeling. I feel conflicted. It wasn’t the prettiest, but I’m also happy. I could have easily lost.”

Despite Mertens having beaten a Top 10 player only once in the past 12 attempts on hard courts, Gauff had started erratically, losing two of her first three service games and looking well-beaten as she slumped to a first-set loss within 33 minutes.

The stats card made for even more unpleasant reading; three double-faults and 14 unforced errors off her forehand epitomised a first-set performance far from the standard expected of a world No. 4.

Gauff seemed to simply continue where she left off, gifting her opponent an early break. But then came a glimmer of hope as she broke back. In doing so, she regained a little control, and it was then the turn of Mertens to fire off a series of unforced errors.

The 21-year-old soon found herself 5-3 up and serving to tie the set, but once more faltered, double-faulting and failing to hold to allow her opponent a route back into the set and push it towards a tiebreak.

Gauff saved three match points before getting lucky when she clipped the cord with a backhand. Apologising with a raised hand, she took the lead and closed out the tiebreak, 11-9, to force a deciding set.

“I feel like it’s almost easier to play when you’re down than when you have the match in your hands,” Gauff said. “I just wanted to give myself the chance today. I feel like my last two matches - in Doha and the Australian Open - I didn’t feel like I fought enough for the second sets. This match, when I lost the first set, I really wanted to fight for that second and give myself the opportunity to compete in the third.”

With the third set confirmed, she grabbed the opportunity, securing the vital break at 4-3, before immediately consolidating to progress. “I don’t even remember the last time I saved match points, probably when I was 15, so I’m really happy to get through today – it was a long one,” she said. 

The quarter finals will witness Eala and Gauff going head to head on the centre court at 7:00 pm on Thursday.