Metro Manila, Philippines – Alex Eala has bowed out of her Philippine Women’s Open stint with a tough 6-4, 6-4 loss to Camila Osorio of Colombia in their quarterfinals match on Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.

The loss marked the end of Eala’s first professional tournament appearance on home soil.

The 20-year old Eala, whose right thigh was heavily wrapped with a bandage, took a 3-2 lead in the second set before the world No. 84 Osorio grabbed the lead and never looked back to secure the win.

“Sayang, hindi pumasa sa level pero ang importante nandito ako sa Manila, sa Pilipinas, at nandito ang WTA [It’s too bad I did not reach the level I wanted but what’s important is I was able to play the WTA in Manila],” Eala after her defeat.

Osorio will battle Solana Sierra of Argentina in the semifinals on Friday, Jan. 30.

Eala will be flying to the Middle East, where she will compete in the Abu Dhabi Open, a WTA 500 tournament, after receiving a wild card entry into the main draw.