MANILA — A valiant effort by Alexandra Eala was not enough to hold off a determined Jelena Ostapenko, who staged a dramatic comeback to win their second-round encounter at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz.
Eala looked poised to extend her winning record over Ostapenko, taking early control and building a 4-2 lead in the first set. But the Latvian veteran responded with authority, winning four straight games to claim the opener.
The Filipina again seized momentum in the second set, dominating to a 5-1 lead and earning a crucial set point. Still, Ostapenko’s resilience proved decisive, as she clawed her way back with six straight games to complete a straight-sets win, 6-4, 7-5.
With the victory, Ostapenko moves on to the quarterfinal round, where she will meet Elena-Gabriela Ruse.
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