Alexandra Eala advanced to the third round of the Cincinnati Open after Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired from their second-round match because of injury on Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines).
The 17th-seeded Filipina was leading comfortably, 6-1, 3-0, when Ruse was forced to end the match.
Eala had established control from the start, winning nine consecutive games after Ruse briefly held serve to make it 1-1 in the opening set. The Filipina then broke Ruse twice to close out the first set and opened the second with another break before the Romanian retired.
The match had initially been suspended because of rain with Eala ahead, 6-1, 3-0. When play resumed, Ruse was unable to continue, allowing Eala to secure her place in the next round.
Eala was particularly effective on the return, converting all five of her break-point opportunities. She also won 67 percent of points behind her first serve and 69 percent on her second serve.
The victory extended Eala’s winning streak to nine matches, following her title run at the Mubadala DC Open and her run to the Round of 16 at the National Bank Open in Toronto.
Eala, who is ranked No. 20 in the world, entered Cincinnati as the No. 17 seed and received a first-round bye.
The 21-year-old Filipina will next battle American Amanda Amisinova as she continues her campaign in the WTA 1000 tournament, her final major event before the US Open.
The post Alex Eala advances to round 3 after Ruse retires first appeared on Fastbreak.
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