Belinda Bencic ends Alexandra Eala’s spirited Canadian Open run in straight-sets victory

TORONTO — Alexandra Eala’s spirited run at the Canadian Open came to an end Sunday night with a 6-4, 6-0 loss to world No. 14 Belinda Bencic in the round of 16.

Eala, who won her first WTA Tour title last week in Washington, had another raucous contingent of Filipino supporters cheering inside Sobeys Stadium. In between points, there were “Let’s go Alex, let’s go!” chants followed by two claps, a staple throughout the match, but it couldn’t stop Bencic’s dominant performance, as the Swiss star moved on to a quarterfinal date with Coco Gauff, who hasn’t dropped a set this tournament.

“Tough one today,” Eala said. “Belinda put me in some tough situations. I think she played really well. I wasn’t able to kind of get myself out of a certain mode.”

Bencic jumped to an early break lead at 2-1 in the first set. It was clear she wanted to attack Eala’s serve, standing close to the baseline and unleashing powerful groundstrokes on her returns. Eala showcased her resolve by breaking Bencic’s serve twice in the opening set. At 4-4, with Eala serving, Bencic had another break point. Eala hit a powerful serve that Bencic barely returned. That allowed Eala to move forward with an open court, but she hit her forehand back toward Bencic, who executed a perfect lob over Eala to score the break and eventually take the first set.

The missed opportunity foreshadowed the rest of the match for Eala. Her movement was less sharp and her shots less precise than in recent performances. She also struggled with her serve, getting broken six times in the match and winning just 47 percent of her first-serve points. Bencic raced to a double break lead over Eala in the second set, dictating the pace with blazing shots from the baseline. Often, Eala was on the back foot, with Bencic redirecting her shots to difficult angles. At 5-0, Bencic closed out the match with a punishing serve that caught Eala off balance and allowed her to crush a crosscourt forehand winner. Bencic won 57 points to Eala’s 36, reflecting the lopsided nature of this match. Eala had no answers, and the magic that carried her in D.C. finally ran out.

“It’s always tough after a loss,” Eala said when asked how she was feeling physically and emotionally after the tournament. “But I’m looking back at these past two weeks as a really big positive. I think I’ve played really well, I’ve gotten through so many obstacles.”

Eala arrived in Toronto on a high after beating Jessica Pegula in a D.C. Open final played over two days because of rain. When Eala’s first match in Toronto was slotted for the night session, tickets sold out in under 30 minutes as her success captured the attention of Filipinos in Toronto. Eala outlasted Alycia Parks in three sets before explaining the phenomenon that accompanies her at tournaments around the world.

“There are so many Filipinos in the crowd, so many flags. Thank you!” Eala said.

Just 24 hours later, Eala was back at Sobeys Stadium playing doubles alongside American tennis legend Venus Williams. The pair lost 6-4, 6-3 to Miyu Kato and Liudmila Samsonova, but supporters showered Eala with cheers when she walked off the court.

That enthusiasm hit a fever pitch during a rugged 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 win over Caty McNally in the third round Friday, and continued all the way to the final game against Bencic on Sunday — even when it was clear a defeat was inevitable.

This was Eala’s first time playing the Canadian Open in Toronto, and her run to the round of 16 provided her with insight into the city’s multicultural connection.

“I learned that they’re very passionate,” Eala said. “It’s a mixing pot of cultures and personalities and passions. It’s nice to see tennis be a medium for them to come together and kind of celebrate the things they love.”

The spectators stood up and clapped as Eala gathered her rackets and bags at her chair. As Eala left the court, she waved and blew kisses to the Toronto crowd one last time. Chants of “Alex, Alex!” rang through the stadium, the crowd seemingly unwilling to let Eala Mania end.

Click here to read article