By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — Alexandra Eala bowed out early in the WTA 500 Stuttgart Open after a straight-sets loss to Leylah Fernandez, 1-6, 4-6, in the Round of 32.
The World No. 45 struggled to find her rhythm against the higher-ranked Canadian, who dictated play from the start and quickly built a commanding lead in the opening set.
Despite the defeat, the Filipina standout still walked away with €11,309 (around ₱798,000), pushing her total career prize money beyond US$1.86 million.
Eala missed a valuable opportunity to improve her ranking, as a victory could have earned her 60 WTA points and lifted her closer to the Top 40. Instead, she settled for a single point following her early exit at the indoor clay courts of the Grand Porsche Arena.
Fernandez, currently ranked No. 25, dominated early by breaking Eala twice to surge to a 5-0 advantage in the first set. She maintained control in the second, racing to a 5-2 lead before briefly faltering while serving for the match.
Eala showed resilience by saving two match points at 3-5, but Fernandez ultimately sealed the win on her second attempt. In their first-ever meeting, Eala managed to win just 46 of 109 total points.
The 19-year-old Filipina will next compete at the Madrid Open, set from April 21 to May 3.
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