INDIAN WELLS OPEN: Eala nears quarters as Gauff retires in Round of 32 match

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FILIPINA tennis star Alex Eala moved a win away from advancing to the quaterfinals after a 6-2, 2-0 (ret) win over American Coco Gauff on Monday (Philippine time), March 9.

With Eala ahead two-to-nil in the second set, the world No. 4 Gauff called for a medical timeout after an apparent shoulder injury. Gauff, a two-time Grand Slam champion, then decided not to continue to play, giving Eala the walkover win.

Eala, ranked No. 32 in the world, will next play Czech Linda Noskova in the Round of 16.

The 21-year-old Noskova is currently ranked No. 14 with a career-high ranking of No. 12. She clinched her own Round of 16 seat by beating Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the Round of 32, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Eala, on the other hand, secured her second win in the tournament after downing Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the Round of 32 last Saturday, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

The 21-year-old Eala earned a first-round bye in her first-ever appearance in the Indian Wells Open.(CCM)