Eala narrowly misses French Open main draw

MANILA, Philippines — Almost but not quite.

Birthday girl Alex Eala dropped a tough three-set grind versus Julia Riera of Argentina, 6-4, 6(3)-7, 4-6, to miss out on a golden chance to become the first Filipina player to ever qualify in the French Open main draw.

The Filipina sensation celebrated her 19th birthday yesterday only for her party to be spoiled by the world No. 93 and second-seeded Argentine, who recovered from a first-set meltdown and held her ground in the clincher to rule the finals of the three-round qualifiers at the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris.

Eala, WTA No. 160, erased a 0-4 deficit in the opening set, fell short of a comeback in the extended second frame then succumbed in the decider for a foiled chance of earning her first women’s singles ticket in a Grand Slam tourney.

She was a junior doubles champion of the French Open in 2021, reigning supreme against the world’s best teen players with Russian partner Oksana Selekhmeteva. That’s one of her two junior Grand Slam titles, having also ruled the 2020 Australian Open with Indonesian pal Priska Madelyn Nugroho.

Eala previously beat China’s Ye-Xin Ma (WTA No. 197), 6-1, 6-1, and Australia’s Taylah Preston (WTA No. 137), 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.