Eala, Gauff advance to Italian Open quarterfinals against defending champions

Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 7, 2025 Philippines' Alexandra Eala in action during her round of 128 match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

The Filipina-American partnership of Alex Eala and Coco Gauff made another huge victory, breezing past the Italian home bets Tyra Caterina Grant and Lisa Pigato, 6-2, 6-3 in Round of 16 of 2025 Italian Open women's doubles on Tuesday night (Manila time) in Rome.

With the victory, the 19-year-old Eala and 21-year-old Gauff have now made it to the prestigious Top 8, where they are set to lock horns with no less than the defending champions Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy.

Eala and Gauff, who clinched a statement opening day win last Saturday against Alexandra Panova and Fanny Stollar, picked up where they left off and cruised to an early 5-2 lead in Set 1 before making clutch hits to seal the win.

READ MORE | Alex Eala, Coco Gauff open Italian Open doubles run with win vs Panova, Stollar

Grant and Pigato scored back-to-back points to open the eighth game and establish a 30-0 lead. But Eala and Gauff restored order, nailing four straight points to take the opening frame.

The Italian pair put up another gallant stand in Set 2 after dragging Eala and Gauff to a 2-all deadlock. But the Filipina-American tandem proved steadier in the endgame, closing out the match winning four of the last five games to move forward in the tournament.

Up next for Eala and Gauff are the third-seeded tandem of world no. 5 Paolini and another veteran Errani, who are out to defend the title in front of the home crowd.

Paolini and Errani won the 2024 Italian Open women's doubles title by beating Gauff and her partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand in the finals.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News

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