Metro Manila, Philippines – Alex Eala saw her run at the National Bank Open come to an end after suffering a 4-6, 0-6 loss to Belinda Benic of Switzerland in their Round of 16 clash on Monday, August 10, in Toronto, Canada.
The 21-year-old Eala could not keep up after a 4-all deadlock in the first set as the world No. 14 Bencic took control from there to give the Filipino tennis star a reality check.
Eala, ranked 20th in the world, showed signs of fatigue throughout the contest, having little time to rest after capturing a historic WTA title in Washington, D.C. last week.
She also felt the effects of battling through back-to-back three-set games against Americans Alycia Parks and Caty McNally in the previous rounds.
The loss snapped Eala’s seven-match winning streak and her first defeat in her North American hardcourt swing this year.
Eala will shift her attention to Cincinnati Open, another WTA 1000 tournament that will run from Aug. 13 to 23, before the US Open.
