Alex Eala and Nadiia Kichenok survived their quarterfinal match against the Russian duo of Polina Kudermetova and Kamilla Rakhimova at the WTA 250 Guangzhou Open in China on October 24.
A Nail Biting Set 2
Eala and Kichenok started strong in the opening frame, quickly racing to a 2-0 lead before the Russian duo fought back to level the score at 3-all.
Showing poise under pressure, Eala and Kichenok regained control by breaking serve and capturing the next three games to close out the first set.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 1: 6-3
The second set turned into a more intense battle, with both teams exchanging strong serves and baseline rallies.
Kudermetova and Rakhimova momentarily took charge at 4-3 and later 5-4, appearing on the verge of forcing a decider. However, Eala and Kichenok held firm, holding their serve to even the count at 5-all before producing a crucial service break in the 11th game to seize a 6-5 advantage.
In the final game, despite falling behind 0-15 early, the duo maintained composure and strung together four straight points to complete the victory.
Their solid teamwork and well-timed aggression proved decisive against the Russian pair, who were both ranked inside the WTA Top 100 in singles and Top 250 in doubles.
FINAL SCORE OF SET 2: 7-5
This quarterfinals win follows their victory against the duo of Qianhui Tang and Emily Appleton last October 23.
A Winning Momentum in the Doubles
Eala, a two-time junior Grand Slam doubles champion, showcased maturity and chemistry with Kichenok, a seasoned doubles specialist who has reached as high as world No. 22.
Together, they dominated key points and displayed a balance of experience and youthful energy throughout the match.
The win marked Eala’s second straight doubles win since reuniting with Kichenok and also her return to the semifinal stage which is also her best doubles showing since resuming her doubles campaign this season.
The 20-year-old continues to seek her first-ever professional WTA doubles title, adding another milestone to her young career.
The Guadalajara champion is now making a deep Guangzhou Open run after losing against Claire Liu in the Singles tournament last October 21.
Up Next: Either Gleason-Pridankina or Piter-Tjen
As of writing this story, Eala and Kichenok still wait for their semifinal opponents, who will be determined between top seeds Quinn Gleason of the United States and Elena Pridankina of Russia, or the duo of Katarzyna Piter of Poland and Janice Tjen of Indonesia.
Gleason is currently ranked No. 61 in the Doubles while Pridankina is No. 83. On the other hand, Piter is No. 55 and Tjen is No. 159.
