Alex Eala takes on the veteran Sorana Cîrstea in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Round of 16.
Filipina ace Alex Eala looks to keep her dream run going when she takes on Romania’s Sorana Cîrstea in the Round of 16 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships early Thursday, Feb. 19 (PH time).
The match is pegged for a 12:10 a.m. at center court.
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Eala is coming off a huge 6-1, 7-6(5) upset of world no. 8 Jasmine Paolini, a win that made her the first Filipino to reach the Dubai Round of 16 since the tournament began in 2001.
The victory also improved her record against top-10 opponents to 3-2 following earier victories against Madison Keys ang Iga Swiatek last year in Miami.
Cîrstea, currently ranked no. 32, entered Dubai in strong form after winning the Transylvania Open, where she beat Emma Raducanu in the finale.
The 35-year-old also won her first two matches in Dubai in straight sets.
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Cîrstea holds a previous win over Eala from Madrid in 2024.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]