Alex Eala put on a gallant effort but her best was not enough, losing to Diane Parry of France, 6-2, 6-4, in the Osaka Mayor’s Cup-World Super Junior Tennis Championships held over the weekend at the Utsubo Tennis Center in Japan.
Eala, 14, was on course for a big fightback in the second set only to lose steam in the crunch in the Grade A tournament rated one rung below the Grand Slam.
Eala never lost a set in all her matches but found Parry too much to handle.
Parry, 17, is currently No. 8 in the world junior rankings.
Eala took the loss positively, saying reaching the final was good enough.
“Finished this incredible tournament a finalist. It’s a Super experience here at the World Super Juniors!” Eala said in her Facebook account.
Her earlier victories came at the expense of Japanese Erika Matsuda, 7-6 (1), 6-3, and Manami Ukita, 6-0, 6-2; Russia’s Diana Shnaider, 6-1, 6-3; Thailand’s Punnin Kovapitukted, 3-6, 6-2, 2-0 (ret); and Germany’s Mara Guth, 6-3, 6-4.
She lost in the first round of the doubles with Thai partner Punnin against Great Britain’s Matilda Mutavdzic and Japan’s Saki Imamura, 7-6 (6), 6-2.
Eala’s singles loss failed to duplicate her title feat at the JA Cape Town tournament in South Africa last month, which rates the same Grade A tournament level.
Still, Eala expects to improve her current No. 27 world junior rankings. (Kristel Satumbaga)
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