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The Filipina fairytale continues. From Quezon City to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, 20-year-old Alexandra Eala defeated Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-4 under the lights of Centre Court on Wednesday to book a last-eight date with World No4 Coco Gauff. 'I take it all in with a spoonful of gratitude,' Eala said, after being cheered on like the superstar she is quickly becoming among her compatriots.
The World No47 – the highest-ranked Filipina in WTA Tour history – showed a quiet confidence from the first game to slowly grind down her veteran opponent and reach the quarterfinals of a 1000 tournament for the second time in her fledgling career. Cirstea came into the tie 15 places higher in the world rankings and having reached the semi-finals here two years ago. Yet such was the energy inside a thronged Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, the Romanian never looked likely to quieten the Kabayan crowd.
That is not to suggest the passionate fans got their new hero over the line. Eala has after all been preparing for moments like these since she was four years old and being coached by her grandad in Manila. 'Obviously their support means a lot to me,' she said of the raucous support. 'It definitely motivated me in the tight moments and makes the emotions more intense when I win, but I wouldn't attribute all of it to them. Whether they're there or not, I'm going to fight until the end and do what I can to win.
'I've not always been a competitor who's been put in night sessions on Centre Court. I've been playing tennis for many years and I'm also used to playing in front of no crowds. I'm still in the earlier phase of my career, so I'm doing my best to enjoy and I hope the feeling is reciprocated by the crowd. It just creates an amazing atmosphere.'
With the first set going with serve through 10 games, Eala finally grabbed the break she needed to take a 6-5 lead before consolidating. In the second set, such was Eala's early dominance and the noise it generated among the partisan crowd that it almost felt cruel on Cirstea. Every winner from Eala, every unforced error from the Romanian, and every break in play, was filled with ear-splitting cheers, catchy chants, and the waving of flags, posters, and hand-made signs – including one that read 'Alex, please marry my son'.
Cirstea had complained only a few weeks ago at the Australian Open when she deemed Naomi Osaka to have been excessively vocal while pumping herself up between points. How she must have felt then during this one-hour 38-minute match as the crowd screamed like Beatlemania reborn and the only thing that could quieten it – her A-game – never quite got going. The umpire certainly had his work cut out too, stepping in repeatedly to remind the fans that silence is required during play.
When Eala closed out the win, smiling widely before eventually letting out a guttural roar in the middle of the court, she turned her focus to Thursday: 'Win or lose, it's a great opportunity for me to learn. Obviously facing a player like Coco is something that people would kill to do – and in a quarterfinal here in Dubai as well, so I'm super excited.'
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