Alex Eala, Czech fall short of doubles upset in W60 Chiasso

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala and Czech Republic's Barbora Palicova could not complete the upset over the No. 4 seed in the Round of 16 of the doubles tournament in W60 Chiasso in Switzerland on Tuesday.

Eala and Palicova stormed back from one set down but fell in a three-set thriller, 3-6, 6-4, 11-13, against Indonesia's Beatrice Gumulya and Czech Republic's Anna Siskova to crash out of the tournament.

The match lasted an hour and 39 minutes as Eala and Palicova saved three two match points after trailing late, 7-9, in the deciding third canto.

The pair went on a 4-1 run to take a match point of their own, 11-10.

But the fourth-seeded pair uncorked three points of their own to pull the rug from under Eala and Palicova and deny the upset.

Despite the early exit in doubles, Eala will compete in the singles tournament beginning Wednesday as she faces Romania's Alexandra Ignatik in the Round of 32.

The 17-year-old is looking to barge into the qualifiers of the French Open with a deep run in this tournament.