Alexandra Eala’s impressive winning streak has come to an end in Sao Paulo, after suffering a defeat in the SP Open quarterfinals.
The Filipina has enjoyed a breakout season on the tour, having burst onto the scene at the Miami Open earlier this year, where she reached the semifinals after overcoming major champions Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.
Eala recently became the first player from her country to win a match at a Grand Slam when she clinched an opening-round victory at the US Open against Clara Tauson.
She followed the historic feat up with a maiden WTA 125 title at Guadalajara, but her winning streak has now been snapped in Brazil.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesJanice Tjen ends 23-year-long drought against Alexandra Eala
Eala was defeated by Janice Tjen in the last eight at the SP Open, falling to the 23-year-old 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 12 minutes.
Tjen, playing just the second tour-level event of her career, is now the first Indonesian player to reach the semifinals of a WTA event in 23 years.
She is the first to achieve the feat since Angelique Widjaja, who emerged victorious at an event in Pattaya City during the 2002 season.
At the US Open, Tjen came through qualifying and claimed her first win on the WTA Tour against 23rd seed Veronika Kudermetova in round one, but bowed out to Emma Raducanu in her next match.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesAlexandra Eala’s winning streak since the US Open
After Eala suffered a second-round exit at the US Open to Cristina Bucsa, she has hit a hot run of form.
The 20-year-old dropped just one set en route to the final in Guadalajara, which came against US player Varvara Lepchenko in the second round.
She sealed her fifth win at the tournament in the championship match against Panna Udvardy, coming back from a set down to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.
In Sao Paulo, Eala won her first two matches comfortably in straight sets before she was knocked out by a defiant Tjen.