Whatever happens to the campaign of Alex Eala in 2020 French Open’s Roland Garros Junior Tennis Championships, she is now considered a heavyweight in the highly competitive junior circuit.
This was after the 15-year-old Eala came out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 winner after a difficult encounter with Czech rival Linda Nozkova Thursday afternoon at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris. Eala’s game against Spanish netter Leyre Romero-Gormaz, who she beat 6-1,4-6, 6-1, in the quarterfinals, was also intense.
“I think the last match (quarterfinals) was the most difficult (so far) given the history of the two players having played a big match on a huge stage before,” said the elder Michael, the young Eala’s dad.
How Eala fought it out with Nozkova put her in the same stature with her semifinal foe Elsa Jacquemot of France, who is favored because of her experience and age at 18 years. Hurdling the world no. 6 Jacquemot will boost Eala’s junior ranking further.
Eala had actually beaten Nozvoka in the Les Petits As Championship back in 2018, when she pulled off a grittier 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) win.
“They played for the Les Petits As Championship in 2018 where they both played great tennis,” recalled Michael, Eala’s father.
This time around, Eala needed to take a medical timeout right after the second set against Nozkova, because her glute muscles were tightening due to fatigue.
After that, Eala found her winning chances in the decisive third set.
The little rest she had allowed her to take control in the fourth and fifth games and finish off Nozkova in one hour and 59 minutes
The third-seeded Jacquemot advanced to the semis against Eala on a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kristina Dmitruk of Belarus. She is seen as one of the top contenders for the finals after making it to the quarterfinals last year.
Another favorite is giant-killer Alina Charaeva, who will fight for the other finals’ slot after taking down Alexandra Vecic of Germany, 6-2, 6-3. Charaeva is playing in the other semifinals fourth seed Polina Kudermetova (Russia), who prevailed over French girl Oceana Babel, 6-3, 7-5.
Charaeva created a stir when she earlier upset world no. 1 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra,7-5, 2-6, 6-3, in the second round.
With Kasintseva gone, Eala is now the highest seeded player left, along with Jacquemot and Kudermetova.