Displaying the heart of a champion, Alex Eala overcame an ankle injury to grind out a thrilling three-set victory over American Caty McNally, securing a spot in the fourth round of the National Bank Open.
Eala struck first, capitalizing on McNally’s unforced errors to claim the opening set 6-4. Momentum shifted sharply in the second set; with Eala holding a 2-1 edge, an apparent ankle issue forced a medical timeout. Though she had the ankle taped, the restricted movement allowed McNally to charge back and steal the set 7-5.
Refusing to yield, Eala shed the tape for the deciding set and relied on pure grit. She reasserted control with razor-sharp volleys and punishing returns, breaking McNally’s serve late to seal the set 6-3 and complete the gutsy victory.