Alex Eala looks to ride her winning momentum into another semifinal as she faces Swiss veteran Viktorija Golubic in the Suzhou Open WTA 125 quarterfinals.
Alex Eala braces for a tough challenge as she faces seasoned Swiss campaigner Viktorija Golubic in the quarterfinals of the Suzhou Open WTA 125 on Friday.
This will be the first career meeting between the 20-year-old Filipina and the 32-year-old Golubic, who is currently ranked No. 70 in the world and boasts two WTA Tour titles.
Golubic, once ranked as high as No. 35 in 2022, also reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2021—her best Grand Slam result to date.
Eala, ranked No. 58, enters the matchup with momentum from a breakout season that included main-draw debuts in all four Grand Slams, and a milestone WTA 125 title at the Guadalajara Open last month.
Seeded fourth in Suzhou, she had to battle through back-to-back three-setters, first rallying past Katarzyna Kawa of Poland before surviving a three-hour test against Belgium’s Greet Minnen.
Golubic, seeded sixth, advanced with more straightforward wins, dispatching fellow Swiss Rebeka Masarova and Czech talent Linda Fruhvirtova in straight sets.
With both players eyeing a semifinal berth, Eala will look to lean on her youthful energy and recent surge in confidence as she tests herself against the veteran steadiness of Golubic.
A victory would also mark her second straight semifinal appearance in China after reaching the final four of the Jingshan Tennis Open last week.
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(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]