Eala-Tjen secures quarters slot

SEA sisters stun higher-ranked Fernandez-Mladenovic duo

SOUTHEAST Asian (SEA) tennis made its mark in the Middle East as Filipina pride Alexandra “Alex” Eala and Indonesian partner stunned the higher-ranked tandem of Filipina-Canadian Leylah Fernandez and France’s Kristina Mladenovic, 7-5, 3-6, 10-6, in the WTA 500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on Wednesday.

Mses. Eala and Tjen scored the last four points of the marathon duel, breaking away from a deadlock at six to clinch a quarterfinal ticket at the expense of the celebrated duo led by nine-time Grand Slam doubles champion Ms. Mladenovic.

The SEA duo took the victory in one hour and 33 minutes, setting up a clash against either Ukrainian sisters Lyudmyla (WTA doubles No. 31) and Nadiia (doubles No. 63) Kichenok or the second seed tandem of Chinese Shuai Zhang (doubles No.7) and Spaniard Cristina Bucsa (doubles No. 22), for a seat in the final four.

“We are the SEA sisters. Go Southeast Asia,” said the 20-year-old Ms. Eala.

“We just won our first match in our first time playing together. Let’s go SEA,” added Ms. Tjen, 23.

Mses. Eala and Tjen are ranked No. 45 and 47 in the WTA singles but sit lower in the doubles division at No. 136 and No. 68 compared to the 23-year-old Ms. Fernandez (singles No. 25) at No. 80 and the 32-year-old Ms. Mladenovic at No. 55.

Ms. Mladenovic boasts a decorated doubles career, becoming the world No. 1 in 2019 after a six-title run in the Australian Open and French Open women’s doubles as well as three more crowns in the Australian Open and Wimbledon mixed doubles.

But the Filipina-Indonesian pair did not shy away from the pressure and the challenge against the sport’s titan and a rising star in Ms. Fernandez, stealing the first set via tiebreaker, 7-5.

The Canadian-French twain would return the favor in more dominant fashion to force a rubber match, where the youthful Mses. Eala and Tjen broke free in the clutch with a 4-0 closeout marked by Ms. Tjen’s forehand return smash straight to the baseline to break Ms. Fernandez’ serve.

Ms. Eala could make it a double playoff appearance in Abu Dhabi with a Round of 16 duel at press time against the 31-year-old Aliaksandra Sasnovich, WTA No. 109, of Belarus, who pulled off a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 stunner on world No. 65 and Abu Dhabi’s No. 8 seed Paula Badosa of Spain.

The lefty sensation on Tuesday advanced after taking care of business against close friend and former doubles partner Zeynep Sonmez (WTA No. 79) of Turkey.

Ms. Tjen, for her part, got the boot with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat at the hands of No. 5 seed and WTA No. 18 Liudmila Samsonova of Russia in Round 2. Ms. Tjen previously scored an upset on WTA No. 29 Maya Joint of Australia, 7-6(7-6), 3-6, 6-3.

It was Ms. Joint who denied Ms. Eala a title in the Eastbourne Open finals in England last year. — John Bryan Ulanday