By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense tennis star Alex Eala saw her campaign in the HSBC Championships come to an end after a 6-2, 6-2 defeat to American Iva Jovic in the Round of 16 at the Queen’s Club in London on Wednesday night, June 10 (Philippine time).

Jovic took control from the outset and needed just one hour and 16 minutes to secure the straight-sets victory over Eala.

The loss also ended Eala’s six-match winning streak on grass this season.

Five of those victories came during her title run at the WTA 125 Birmingham Open, while the sixth was her opening-round win over China’s Zhang Shuai at Queen’s Club on Tuesday, June 9.

It was also Jovic’s second victory over Eala this year after defeating the Filipina during the French Open campaign in Paris last month.

Despite the setback, Eala is expected to gain 60 WTA ranking points and prize money worth $28,245 (around P1.7 million), which could further improve her current World’s No. 33 ranking when the latest standings are released next week.

The 21-year-old Filipina will continue her grass-court season in Europe as she prepares for upcoming tournaments leading to Wimbledon.

Eala is set to compete next in the Berlin Tennis Open qualifiers before shifting her focus to the Bad Homburg Open in Germany from June 21 to 27, ahead of the Wimbledon Championships scheduled from June 29 to July 12 in London./ASC, WDJ