Alex Eala is through to the Round of 16 of the Hong Kong Open after beating Australian lucky loser Emerson Jones on Tuesday.
The Filipina took the opening set, 6-4, despite Jones mounting a comeback after falling behind 0-4.
Eala regained control in the second set, building a 5-1 lead before Jones fought back to 5-3. But the Filipina held her nerve to close out the match and secure her place in the next round.
“Super happy to be here in Hong Kong, super happy with the performance,” Eala said after the match.
“It was a really good match. Emerson is such a sweetheart off the court and such a great player on the court, so looking forward to many more matches together in the future,” she added.
The 21-year-old will next face Czech Republic's Tereza Valentova for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Jones entered the main draw as a last-minute replacement for Alycia Parks, who withdrew due to a shoulder injury.
