MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala overcame a right foot injury and a determined Caty McNally to advance to the Canadian Open round of 16 with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory Saturday (Manila time) in Toronto.
Eala battled through the injury for two hours and 39 minutes on a packed center court, extending her winning streak to seven matches after her title run at the WTA 500 DC Open.
The 21-year-old Filipino sustained the injury in the fifth game of the second set but still held on to take a 3-2 lead. She then took a medical timeout and had her foot strapped.
The injury affected Eala’s movement as McNally won back-to-back games to take a 4-3 lead. Eala later removed the tape before the eighth game and moved within a game of victory at 5-4.
McNally, however, forced a deciding set after winning three straight games.
Eala responded with a 2-0 lead in the third set before the American stayed within striking distance. McNally reached a 30-0 lead while Eala served for the match, but the Filipino recovered and reached match point.
McNally then committed errors on her final two attacks, allowing Eala to seal the victory.
“I’m okay. I think I survived that one. It was so tough,” Eala said after the match. “It’s really one of those matches that really could have gone either way.”
Eala also credited McNally for the hard-fought contest.
“So give her her flowers guys. It was really a great match,” she said.
Eala started the match slowly as McNally built a 3-1 lead in the opening set. The Filipino then won five consecutive games to take the set.
McNally answered in the second set, forcing Eala into a decider despite Eala battling back from a 40-30 deficit in the ninth game.
The No. 25 seed Eala had received a first-round bye before defeating American Alycia Parks, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, in the second round.
Eala will face No. 12 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in the round of 16. Bencic advanced after beating Taylor Townsend, 6(5)-7, 7-6(4), 6-4, in a three-hour, 24-minute match.
