Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala and her Brazilian partner Ingrid Martins saw their Australian Open women’s doubles campaign come to an end on Tuesday evening, falling in a hard-fought three-set battle to Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Poland’s Magda Linette.
The seasoned pair recovered from a sluggish opening to prevail, 7–6, 2–6, 6–3, on Court 14 in Melbourne.
The loss closes Eala’s debut campaign at the Australian Open, following her first‑round exit in the women’s singles against American Alycia Parks the day before.
Eala and Martins had appeared firmly in control early on, racing to a 4–0 lead in the opening set. But a string of errors opened the door for Aoyama and Linette, who steadily clawed their way back. Eala managed to hold serve for a 5–3 set point, only for their opponents to string together consecutive games and force a tiebreak. Aoyama and Linette seized the moment, surging ahead 6–3 before a wide forehand from Martins sealed the set.
The Filipino‑Brazilian duo responded with conviction in the second frame, delivering a crisp 6–2 win to level the match and shift the momentum.
But Aoyama and Linette quickly reasserted themselves in the decider, jumping to a 4–0 lead. Eala’s hold put them on the board, and a tense sixth game—featuring five deuces—finally swung their way after Linette committed back‑to‑back errors. Martins then held serve to narrow the gap to 4–3, offering a glimmer of hope.
That would be the last opening they found. Aoyama and Linette steadied their nerves and closed out the match with authority, securing their place in the second round.
