Alex Eala from the Philippines and Iva Jovic won a doubles match at the ASB Classic in New Zealand. The game was on Monday at the Manuka Doctor Arena. They beat Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina in straight sets. The score at the end was 7-6, 6-1.
The first set was very close the whole time. For most of the games, both teams held serve. After neither side got a clear edge, the set went to a tiebreak. Eala and Jovic won the tiebreak, which gave them the set. During the breaker, the two stayed consistent on important points.
In the second set, the momentum changed again. Eala and Jovic put more pressure on return games. Williams and Svitolina lost their serve several times. The younger couple won the second set by five games. There was no need for a deciding set at the end of the match.
After the match, Jovic talked about how the first set went. She said the team worked hard to stay calm and sure of themselves. She said that partners kept reminding each other during the tiebreak. She also talked about playing aggressively on the set point.
After the game, Eala also spoke. She thanked her fans and recognized her partner in doubles. She talked about how nice it was to start the season with a win. She said that she would be playing with experienced players on the court. She talked about how she had known both opponents for a long time from previous years.
Williams and Svitolina were both well-known singles players before the match. Both have been at the top of their fields at some point in their careers. Eala and Jovic had a great doubles match early in the tournament.
Eala and Jovic move on to the next round of the women’s doubles. At the time of reporting, their next opponents have not yet been chosen. They will play either Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffe or Jesika Maleckova and Renata Zarazua. The next game will decide who moves on in the tournament bracket.
The ASB Classic is a practice event before the Australian Open. The tournament draws in both singles and doubles players who are getting ready for the first big event of the season. Eala and Jovic move on to the next round of doubles after winning the first round.
