Eala, partner suffer early exit in Wimbledon doubles

MANILA, Philippines -- While her singles’ run at Wimbledon is heading to another round, Alex Eala’s doubles’ play had an early end after she and her partner, Nikola Bartunkova, fell against Jelena Ostapenko and Sofia Kenin, 6-3, 3-6, 1-6 early Friday morning (Manila time.) 

Eala, who defeated Maya Joint to stamp a ticket to the third round of the Grand Slam tournament a few hours ago, had a strong start with Bartunkova but ultimately fell short against the eighth-seeded pair. 

Bartunkova and Eala rushed to a 3-0 lead in the first set, before Kenin and Ostapenko inched closer, 2-3. 

But the Czechian-Filipino pair won three of the next four games to take the frame, 6-3. 

Come the second set, Eala and Bartunkova led, 2-1, but Kenin and Ostapenko took full control of the set, winning four straight games to have a 5-2 lead. 

And while Eala and Bartunkova kept themselves alive with a win in the eighth game, their opponents forced the third set, 6-3. 

And in the final set, it was all Kenin and Ostapenko as they went up 3-0. 

Eala and Bartunkova put themselves on the board with a win in the fourth game, but it was all they could muster as they got bounced in an hour and 53 minutes. 

The American-Lavtian pair had 19 unforced errors to their opponent’s six, but they punched in 50 service points to their opponent’s 43. 

The winning duo also won 45 receiving points to Eala and Bartunkova’s 39.