Eala makes early exit in Melbourne

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala bowed to Croatia’s Jana Fett, 7-5, 6-2, for an unceremonious first-round exit in the qualifying round of the Australian Open yesterday at the Melbourne Park.

Eala waxed hot in the opening frame but lost steam before being completely outclassed in the second set en route to a quick elimination in her first major tourney this year.

Hopes were high for the 19-year-old Filipina pride to make her mark in the Land Down Under after impressive campaigns in the three other Grand Slams last year but to no avail in the match that lasted one hour and 59 minutes.

Ranged against the No. 27 seed Fett, the unranked but undaunted Eala managed to scoop a 2-0 lead in the extended first set but surrendered the next five games to stare at a sudden 2-5 deficit.

Eala, WTA No. 147 on the heels of a semifinal finish in the Workday Canberra International last weekend, fought back by holding serve and breaking Fett’s twice to tie things up at 5-all before slowing down.

The WTA No. 134 Fett then stamped her class from there on, blitzing to a 4-0 lead in the second en route to the second round against Austria’s Sinja Kraus (WTA No. 211), which made short work of WTA No. Victoria Hrunkacova (WTA No. 168), in their own first-round duel, 6-1, 6-2.