Eala, Sonmez exit Madrid Open doubles

MANILA, Philippines -- Too strong and too good. 

Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala and Zeynep Sonmez bowed out of the Madrid Open’s doubles tournament after crashing into a brick wall that is the duo of Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, 1-6, 5-7, Saturday evening (Manila time). 

The Eala-Sonmez pair held their own against the second-seeded tandem of Townsend and Siniakova, who won the doubles title in Indian Wells and the Miami Open this year, but ultimately got outmuscled. 

After getting blasted in the first set, 6-1, Eala and Sonmez fell behind early on in the second frame. 

But they were able to keep in step with their opponents, as the two teams were held in deadlocks. 

The Filipina-Turkish pair was able to grab the edge, 5-4, and was nearing a third set. 

However, Townsend and Siniakova flexed their muscles anew, finishing off the match in an hour and 10 minutes. 

The Eala-Sonmez duo earlier defeated Hao-ching Chan and Fanny Stollar in the first round of the doubles’ tourney. 

The Filipina also crashed out of the tournament’s singles division after absorbing a 6-2, 6-1 beating at the hands of Elise Mertens.