Alex Eala during the W100 Vitoria-Gastej doubles final. – Photo from Rafael Nadal Academy
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala won her third International Tennis Federation (ITF) doubles title, which she is looking to combine with the W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz singles championship to achieve a rare feat on Sunday night (Manila time) in Spain.
Eala and her French partner Estelle Casino held off a tough challenge from Bulgaria's Liya Karatantcheva and Latvia's Diana Marcinkevica to win the Vitoria-Gasteiz doubles final 6-3, 2-6, 10-4 on Saturday evening.
The Filipino-French pair could not sustain their strong start in the first set, allowing Karatantcheva and Marcinkevica to dominate the second frame and force a deciding set.
READ: Alex Eala closer to doubles title, reaches W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz final
Eala and Casino worked together in the third set to jump out to an 8-1 lead, and never looked back, winning their second championship since ruling W75 Croissy-Beaubourg in France last March.
The 19-year-old Filipina paired with Cassino to win her third doubles title as a professional. They defeated Spanish sisters Jimena and Carolina Gomez 6-3, 6-2 in the first round and Victoria Bevid and Laura Maier 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Moments before winning the doubles event, Eala claimed her eighth championship in ITF singles competition by defeating Mexico's María José Portillo Ramírez 6–2, 6–1 in the semifinals.
READ: Alex Eala starts with victory in W100 Vitoria-Gasteiz singles
Eala dominated in just 65 minutes to set up the championship clash with Victoria Jimenez Kasinteva of Andorra at 6pm on Sunday.
The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate, who achieved her career-high ranking of 155 in the Women's Tennis Association, is eyeing her fifth singles title at the ITF and her first $100,000 tournament win with a doubles crown.
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