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Alexandra Eala Shares Painful Truth With Idol Maria Sharapova After Crushing Defeat

Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra Eala reflected on the emotional toll of her hard-fought US Open exit, where she lost a three-set thriller 5-7, 6-3, 5-7 to Iva Jovic in the third round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Despite reaching the tournament’s second week for the first time in her career, Eala struggled with the defeat’s intensity, telling childhood idol Maria Sharapova on the *Pretty Tough* podcast that she had played well but felt she could have won.

The loss stood out among her season’s setbacks, as earlier defeats had often been one-sided, leaving her questioning her form after matches like the one against Jovic, where she held multiple match points before falling short.

Sharapova, who has followed Eala’s rise closely, framed the defeat as a potential long-term advantage. She argued that close losses at major tournaments—like Eala’s on Arthur Ashe—carry more value than blowouts in lower-level events, as they force opponents to confront the memory of a hard-fought battle when they meet again.

The former world No. 1 suggested such matches plant doubt in rivals’ minds, making future encounters more competitive for Eala despite the immediate sting of defeat.

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