After a disappointing singles performance, Alex Eala roared back into the doubles quarters at the Guangzhou Open, silencing any lingering doubts. Despite her singles exit, where she fell to American qualifier Claire Liu, Eala's doubles partnership with Ukrainian veteran Nadiia Kichenok proved to be a formidable force. The Filipina star and Kichenok, who had been away from doubles competition for a while, showed no signs of rust as they defeated the fourth-seeded pair of Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Tang Qianhui of China, 6-4, 6-2, on Thursday. This victory marked Eala's first doubles match since July, when she and Germany's Eva Lys bowed out in the first round at Wimbledon. Kichenok, a 10-time WTA doubles champion, entered Guangzhou fresh off a semi-final appearance at the WTA Japan Women's Open alongside Makoto Ninomiya. Eala and Kichenok will now face Russia's Polina Kudermetova and Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday, with a semi-final spot on the line. This win extends Eala and Kichenok's success against Appleton, whom both players had previously faced this year. In May, Eala teamed up with Renata Zarazua of Mexico to beat Appleton and Spain's Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers in the opening round of the French Open. Meanwhile, Kichenok partnered with Japan's Makoto Ninomiya to win the WTA 250 Prague Open in July, ousting Appleton and Isabelle Haverlag of the Netherlands in the semi-finals. At the Nansha International Tennis Center, Eala and Kichenok proved too strong for Appleton, with the Filipina-Ukrainian duo holding firm to close out the set after 40 minutes. The second set remained competitive early on, locked at 2-2, before Eala and Kichenok shifted gears, securing two more service breaks to win four straight games and complete the upset in straight sets. This marked Eala's first doubles match since July, when she and Germany's Eva Lys bowed out in the first round at Wimbledon. Kichenok, a 10-time WTA doubles champion, entered Guangzhou fresh off a semi-final appearance at the WTA Japan Women's Open alongside Ninomiya. Eala and Kichenok will next face Russia's Polina Kudermetova and Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday, with a semi-final spot on the line. This is a story of resilience and redemption, where Eala's singles disappointment was quickly followed by a doubles triumph. But here's where it gets controversial... Could Eala's doubles success be a sign that she should focus more on doubles than singles? And this is the part most people miss... While Eala's singles exit was disappointing, her doubles partnership with Kichenok has shown that she has the potential to excel in doubles. So, what do you think? Do you agree or disagree with this interpretation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
