ALEX EALA and Coco Gauff fumbled a huge lead in the first set and ultimately bowed to reigning champion Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy, 5-7, 6-3, 7-10, in the doubles’ quarterfinals of the 2025 Italian Open on Thursday in Rome.
The Filipina-American tandem built a 5-3 lead in the opener but was blanked the rest of the way and not even its second-set retaliation proved enough against the Italian duo’s finishing kick in the tiebreaker.
Mmess. Eala and Gauff, unranked in the clay tourney as their first-ever team-up, came as close to 6-7 in the decider until the third-seeded Italian pair put on a 3-1 ender for the gritty win in one hour and 36 minutes.
The young duo could have scored a sweep if not for a meltdown in the first set by allowing a 4-0 blast for a tough 5-7 defeat.
Mmess. Errani and Paolini, the No. 8 duo in the world, will face Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider of Russia for a seat in the finale of the tourney they ruled last year.
World No. 3 Ms. Gauff, meanwhile, scored a 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Ms. Andreeva to make the singles’ Final Four against China’s Zheng Qinwen, who stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Russia, 6-4, 6-3.
Ms. Eala, WTA No. 70, crashed out of the tourney as early as Round 1 with a 6-0, 6-1 near shutout against world No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.
The Filipina sensation, who will turn 20 on May 23, shifts her focus to a much-awaited Grand Slam main draw debut on May 24 to June 8 in Paris. — John Bryan Ulanday
