By Jean Malanum
MANILA – Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala defeated Italian Nicole Fossa Huergo, 7-6 (2), 6-2, Friday morning (Manila time) to reach the Guadalajara 125 Open semifinal at the Panamerican Tennis Center hardcourt in Zapopan, Mexico.
The second-seeded Eala will face American Kayla Day, who ousted third seed and world’s No. 84 Emiliana Arango of Colombia, 7-5, 6-2, in the other quarterfinal match of the tournament, also known as the Abierto Zapopan.
Eala, ranked No. 75 in the world, defeated Dutch Arianne Hartono, 6-2, 6-2 (1st round) and American Varvara Lepchenko, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-3 (2nd round).
Meanwhile, the other semifinal match features Russian Maria Kozyreva against Hungarian Panna Udvardy.
Kozyreva beat American Alana Smith, 7-6 (10), 6-4, while Udvardy stunned fourth seed British Francesca Jones, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Top seed Russian Kamilla Rakhimova, the 2024 champion, was eliminated by 2020 Australian Open Junior champion Victoria Jimenez Kasintsev of Andorra, 1-6, 6-7 (2), in the first round. (PNA)
