Alex Eala of the Philippines was stretched to three sets for the third straight match, but came out on top once again, beating Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to book a spot in the semifinals of the girls' division of the French Open in Paris.
Eala got off to slow start, dropping the first set after Noskova broke her serve twice in the first four games. Trailing 4-5 in the first set and needing to hold serve in the 10th game to stay alive, Eala blew a 40-15 lead as Noskova battled back and forced deuce. The Czech eventually broke Eala's serve again to clinch the set 6-4.
Eala, a 15-year-old lefty, broke Noskova twice in the first three games of the second set to surge to a 3-0 lead, but the Czech won the next two games close in at 3-2. Eala answered back by taking the next two games to move on the cusp of taking the set at 5-2, and after Noskova broke her serve to cut the lead to 5-3, the Filipina teenager finished it off in the ninth game to tie the match at one set apiece.
Noskova broke Eala in the first game of the decider, but Eala broke back and held serve in the next game to inch ahead 2-1, before breaking the Czech again in the fourth game to pad her lead to 3-1. Serving in the fifth game, Eala didn't concede a single point to surge ahead 4-1, capping off the game with a perfectly executed drop shot that Noskova didn't even bother to chase. Noskova saved a break point in the sixth game and eventually cut Eala's lead to 4-2.
Eala fought off two break points in the seventh game to move ahead 5-2. She quickly collected three match points, but Noskova unleashed a couple of forehand winners to stave off elimination. But Eala wouldn't be denied as she clinched the last match point after Noskova's baseline forehand was too long and out.
Eala, the no. 2 seed, faces local bet and third seed Elsa Jacquemot in the semifinals set Friday evening (Manila time). She is two wins away from a second junior Grand Slam title this year after she won the girls' doubles crown at the Australian Open in Melbourne in February.