By Jona Ritter
MANILA — Coco Gauff showcased her firepower and composure to end the breakthrough run of Pinay pride Alex Eala, rolling to a 6-0, 6-2 victory in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships early Friday (Manila time) at the Aviation Tennis Centre in Dubai.
The world No. 4 American asserted control from the opening serve, blanking Eala in the first set and racing to a 4-0 cushion in the second as the 19-year-old Filipina struggled with unforced errors.
Eala, ranked No. 40, briefly found her rhythm midway through the second set, mixing sharper angles and improved shot selection to win two straight games and cut the deficit to 4-2—sparking loud cheers from a crowd heavily backing the Filipina hopeful.
Gauff, however, steadied herself and shut the door quickly, claiming the next two games to seal her place in the semifinals.
“Alex is a tough competitor. Even when I was up, I knew she could come back as she has before,” Gauff said after the match.
The 21-year-old American also acknowledged the strong Filipino presence in the stands. “I want to thank Alex for bringing in a new demographic to the sport. It’s tough playing against a home-court crowd. When you were cheering for Alex, I just pretended you were cheering for my name,” she added with a smile.
Gauff previously reached the semifinals of the Dubai tournament in 2023 and remains in strong contention for the title this year, while Eala exits the competition after one of the most impressive runs of her young professional career.
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