Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala and Czech partner Nikola Bartunkova bowed out of the doubles competition of the WTA 125 Birmingham Open on Monday night.
Eala and Bartunkova fell short to British duo Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden , 4-6, 6-2, 9-11, in a match that lasted through a deciding match tiebreak.
The Filipina-Czech tandem appeared headed for a strong start after building a commanding 4-0 advantage in the opening set. However, Dart and Lumsden recovered in dramatic fashion, winning the next six games to take the set.
Eala and Bartunkova quickly regrouped in the second frame, dominating the British pair, 6-2, to force a winner-take-all tiebreak.
Match statistics showed just how closely contested the encounter was. Eala and Bartunkova finished with 62 total points won compared to 59 by Dart and Lumsden. They also won more service points, 37-35, and held a slight edge in receiving points, 25-24.
The pair converted four of six break-point opportunities, while their opponents capitalized on three of six chances. Eala and Bartunkova also performed better on second serve, winning 64 percent of those points compared to 33 percent for Dart and Lumsden.
Despite the defeat, the numbers reflected a tightly fought battle. Dart and Lumsden posted a higher first-serve percentage at 87 percent against 82 percent and won the lone tiebreak of the match. The British pair also put together a six-game winning streak during their comeback in the opening set.
With her doubles run over, Eala will now concentrate on the singles draw, where the tournament’s top seed is scheduled to face Australia’s Priscilla Hon in the Round of 32.
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