SERIOUS SCARE: Swiatek survives gritty Eala, coasts to Round of 32
‘It wasn’t easy to get into the rhythm and the right timing and I’m happy that I was just patient.’
Daily Tribune‘It wasn’t easy to get into the rhythm and the right timing and I’m happy that I was just patient.’
Alex Eala pushes world No. 2 Iga Swiatek to the limit before absorbing a 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 loss in the Round of 64 of the Madrid Open women’s singles event late Thursday (Manila time).
THOMAS COEX/agence france-presse
MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Defending Madrid Open champion Iga Swiatek survived a scare to beat rising teenage star Alexandra Eala 6-4, 4-6, 2-6 on Thursday and reach the third round in the Spanish capital.
The 19-year-old Filipina, who beat Swiatek in straight sets on a shock run to the Miami Open semifinals in March, claimed the first set as the world No. 2 struggled.
Swiatek, who has been below her best so far this season, found her rhythm in the second set and eventually downed Eala, ranked 72nd, with ease in the third.
“It wasn’t easy to get into the rhythm and the right timing and I’m happy that I was just patient,” Swiatek told Spanish broadcaster TVE.
“I always love playing here, for sure I’m proud of my performances in the last two years.”
Eala broke Swiatek in the first game and produced two battling holds on her first two service games, saving two break points in each as the Pole hunted for a way back in.
The exciting Filipina saved another break point in the sixth game before breaking Swiatek to love for a 5-2 lead in the Madrid sun.
Clay court expert Swiatek recovered a break but Eala was able to serve out her advantage, capturing her third set point when the five-time Grand Slam champion sent a backhand long.
Swiatek only converted one of six first-set break points against the resilient Eala, who won both of hers.
The teenager again broke in the first game of the second set, but this time Swiatek, who has four French Open titles, was able to respond immediately.
When Eala broke again for a 3-2 lead, Swiatek followed suit to get back on serve, with the Pole raising her level towards the end of the second set.
She broke to love in the 10th game to force a deciding set and sped through it, securing breaks in the second and sixth games.
Eala wrestled a break back and saved a match point as Swiatek overcooked a backhand, but eventually the reigning champion triumphed as the teenager went long.
“I felt like I was making too many errors from everything, so there wasn’t one specific adjustment (I had to make),” Swiatek told reporters.
“For sure I wanted to keep my margins and play a little bit more safe, to just play more balls in because I was making some unforced errors that weren’t really necessary.”
Swiatek will face Czech Linda Noskova in the third round.
In other matches, Anastasija Sevastova ousted 2017 French Open winner and Latvian compatriot Jelena Ostapenko 7-6 (7/2), 6-2. Ostapenko beat Swiatek in the Stuttgart quarterfinals last week.
Australian Open champion Madison Keys, seeded fifth, beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3 to reach the third round, where she will face Anna Kalinskaya.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff scraped her way past Dayana Yastremska 0-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Gauff spurned three match points at 5-4 up in the third set and then conceded a break while serving for the set.
Yastremska failed to capitalize on her serve as Gauff broke for 6-5 and at the fourth time of asking the 21-year-old clinched victory on her serve.
The 2023 US Open winner will take on fellow American Ann Li in the third round.
