Alex Eala‘s run at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells has come to an end in the round of 16, losing to Linda Noskova, in a clash between former junior rivals.
The 20-year-old Filipina lost 2-6, 0-6 to the No. 14 seed at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Wednesday.
Eala, the No. 31 seed, defeated the Czech twice in junior competition, first in the Les Petit As-Le Mondial Lacoste final in Tarbes, France, in 2018, and then in the quarterfinals of the 2020 French Open girls’ tournament, but she had no answers in their first professional meeting.
Noskova dictated the pace early in the opening set, breaking Eala in her first service game to seize the early momentum. She nearly raced to a 3-0 lead, but Eala showed resistance by saving two break points to get on the board.
The Czech continued to apply pressure from the baseline and eventually created separation at 4-2, converting another crucial break in the seventh game before closing out the set in the eighth. Noskova’s strong serving underpinned the set, firing three aces and winning 80% of her first-serve points.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Eala unable to gain rhythm as the Czech dominated to claim a bagel. Noskova’s serving efficiency remained steady, finishing with seven aces and winning 78% of her first-serve points.
Eala defeated Dayana Yastremska, of the Ukraine, having been given a bye into the second round; and Coco Gauff, the No. 4 seed, from the U.S., who retired in the second set in the third round, to reach the round of 16. Her defeat by Noskova continues her poor results against Czech opponents. Eala is now 0-11 against players from Czechia in her professional career.
The Filipina now returns to the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, where she will look to build on the confidence from her breakthrough semifinal appearance in last year’s tournament.