Alexandra Eala's strong start to the WTA 250 tournament in Sao Paulo continues after the 20-year-old dismantled 188th-ranked Julia Riera 6-1 6-4 in an hour and 17 minutes of play.
The Filipina, who is seeded at No. 3 in the Brazilian hard-court tournament, kicked off her campaign by crushing Yasmine Mansouri 6-0 6-2.
Against Riera, Eala was also all business right from the start, taking the opening four games of the match. While the Argentine managed to get one break back in the fifth game and get on the board, it didn't change much since the No. 3 seed responded with another back-to-back breaks to seal the first set but also go up by an early break in the second set. In the ninth game of the second set, this year's Miami Open semifinalist Eala missed out on two match points, but routinely served out for the match in the following game.
Eala earns a new career-high ranking
Eala, who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 56 in the world on June 30th, entered this week ranked at No. 61 in the world. By reaching the Sao Paulo quarterfinal, she is guaranteed to improve at least six spots and that means she will have a new career-high ranking on Monday.
I said the other day that the Brazilians are super hospitable. Thats one thing I think you have in common with the Philippines, so Im feeling at home. I loved the atmosphere tonight," the Filipina tennis player said after her win over Riera.
For a place in the Sao Paulo semifinal, Eala will play against world No. 130 Janice Tjen, who made her maiden WTA quarterfinal after beating Martina Okalova.
Eala and Tjen have no previous meetings.
