MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala's first pro tournament was cut short after she fell to Swiss foe Nina Stadler in a three-set thriller, 6-4, 6-7, 5-7, in Monastir, Tunisia on Thursday.
Despite gaining the upper hand early with an opening set win, the 14-year-old Eala conceded two tight sets to Stadler and ended her stint in the competition.
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Stadler, 24, went into the tournament as the third seed. She is also ranked 601st in the WTA World rankings.
Eala's professional record now stands at 1-1. While the Filipina tennister exited early, she was able to gain experience with senior players.
In the first round of the tournament, Eala beat 25-year-old Nadia Echeverria Alam in three sets.
Alam is ranked 772nd in the world.
Eala is set to balance her time between top juniors tournaments and seniors tournaments to rack up her points in the pros.