Alex Eala overcomes Varvara Lepchenko, barges into Guadalajara Open quarterfinals

Youth prevailed over experience this time around. 

Alex Eala dug deep to repel 39-year-old Varvara Lepchenko, 6(3)-7(7), 7(7)-6(3), 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara 125 Open in Zapopan, Mexico on Friday, September 5 (PH time).

Eala completed a gritty comeback to move three wins away from the championship in a match that lasted two days due to a rain delay. 

[ALSO READ: Rain delays Alex Eala’s comeback attempt vs Varvara Lepchenko at Guadalajara Open]

The victory sends Eala to her first WTA quarterfinal since her inspiring finals run in Eastbourne last June. 

Right off the restart, the Filipina tennis broke Lepchenko’s serve before holding her own to take a critical 5-2 lead. After her opponent remained alive in the eight, Eala sealed the win with a two-handed backhand winner to move on. 

Earlier, the 2022 US Open girls champion came out firing in the opening set, racing to a 3-0 lead against the veteran Lepchenko. 

But what looked like a runaway quickly turned into a battle, as the veteran hitter clawed back and stole the set in a tense 9-7 tiebreak that stretched nearly 80 minutes.

Undeterred, Eala dug deep in the second set. With neither player yielding an inch, the Filipina forced another tiebreak—and this time seized the moment, grinding out much-needed win that set the stage for the decider. 

Up next for the Filipina lefty is Italian challenger Nicole Fossa Huergo, who ousted seventh seed Katarzyna Kawa of Poland, 6-7(2), 6-0, 6-1. 

This will be their second career meeting and first since 2022, when Kawa defeated a then 17-year-old Eala, 6-2, 4-6, 6-0, in the W60 Templeton tournament in California.

Earlier, Eala beat Arianne Hartono, 6-2, 6-2, in their Round of 32 clash. The victory also gave the Filipina tennis star a commanding 4-0 lead in their head-to-head record since their first meeting in 2023.

[ALSO READ: Alex Eala makes quick work of Arianne Hartono in Guadalajara 125 Open]