Alex Eala’s US Open career came to an end after she lost to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 4-6, 3-6 in the second round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York early Thursday morning (Philippine time).
The top Filipina fought hard, but the Spaniard showed composure to secure the victory and advance to the third round – her longest winning streak in five appearances at the US Open.
Meanwhile, Ella also capped her season in historic fashion, becoming the first Filipino woman to win a Grand Slam main draw in the Open Era. comeback win against Clara Tauson of Denmark in the opening round.
The 20-year-old Ella took the first set, leading 4-3, but a double error in the eighth game allowed the 27-year-old Buxa to break the tie.
In the ninth game, Ella and Buxa were tied, but a double error from the Filipina allowed the Spaniard to break and take a 5-4 lead.
In the following game, an attacking error from Buxa gave Ella a glimmer of hope, but the Spaniard rallied and punished the Filipina’s errors to win the first set.
In the first set alone, Ella committed 11 errors.
Ranked 75th in the world. Ella kept chasing in the second set, even managing to tie the score at 3-3, but Buxa dominated in the seventh game to take a decisive 4-3 lead. In the eighth game, Buxa served an ace to take a 40-30 lead, but Ella’s attack was blocked, and the Spanish tennis ace had a match point at 5-3.
Buxa, a regular at the US Open since 2021, took advantage of Ella’s weak defense and took a 40-30 lead in the ninth game.
The Filipina player did not give up and tied the score, but two costly errors ultimately led to Buxa winning the match and the set.
With this victory, Buxa is expected to face the 19th seed Belgian Mertens or New Zealander Sun Lulu in the next round.
— JKC, GMA General News