American teen Iva Jovic was moved to tears while talking about her off-court friend and on-court opponent Alex Eala, whom she beat in a three-set thriller to enter the round of 16 at the US Open.
asserted
she → move → Open
Jovic outlasted the fellow young tennis sensation from the Philippines in an epic three-hour showdown on Saturday to book a meeting with fourth-seeded former champion Coco Gauff.
asserted
Jovic → outlast → champion
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The 14th-seed Jovic won five of the last six games for a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 triumph over 17th-seed Eala after three hours and three minutes.
asserted
Jovic → avoid → hours
“That felt like a marathon, and I felt like I lost my sanity five times over to win that match,” Jovic said.
asserted
Jovic → feel → match
“But it’s really worth it for this feeling.”
asserted
it → ’ → feeling
Two of the top rising stars of women’s tennis made their Arthur Ashe Stadium debut a memorable battle that featured 17 service breaks in 33 games.
asserted
that → rise → games
“That match, definitely the way it finished, deserved that court,” Jovic said.
“It literally took everything to somehow squeeze my way through that.”
asserted
It → finish → that
When the emerging US tennis star’s win was sealed, her Filipina friend went around the court to congratulate her instead of waiting at the net as players usually do at the end of tennis matches.
asserted
players → emerge → matches
When Jovic was asked about Eala’s gesture in her post-match news conference, the American was moved to tears and said it showed her friend’s character.
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it → ask → character
“It says a lot about her as a person,” Jovic said while wiping away tears.
asserted
Jovic → say → tears
“I’m gonna start crying, but it says a lot about her as a person to be able to do that after that type of match and still come over to hug me and wish me all the best.
asserted
it → go → best
And even in the locker room behind closed doors … so that just says a lot about her and her character.
asserted
that → say → her
Yeah, she’s incredible.”
asserted
she → ’ → ?
Jovic, 18, and Eala, 21, are friends and sometimes doubles partners, knowing each other’s skills and style well.
asserted
Jovic → know → skills
That helped produce seven service breaks in the first 11 games.
asserted
That → help → games
“I’m usually not one that shows that many emotions, but this one really meant a lot to me.
asserted
one → ’m → me
It’s everything to have another match here at the US Open,” Jovic said.
asserted
Jovic → ’ → Open
“I’m going to be more than happy to just bring this fight and this energy, and whatever happens I can leave with my head high,” Jovic said.
asserted
Jovic → go → head
‘Put on a show’
Jovic broke four times to win the first set but was broken three times by left-hander Eala to drop the second.
“The level was absolutely incredible from both sides,” Jovic said.
asserted
Jovic → put → sides
“We definitely put on a show, and it literally took everything to get through that …
asserted
it → put → that
losing my earrings, falling literally flat-out on the floor, cuts on my knees, mental breakdowns,” she said.
asserted
she → lose → knees
Eala admitted: “I had my chances.
asserted
I → admit → chances
I’m happy with the match in general.
asserted
I → ’m → match
“I left everything out there.
asserted
I → leave → everything
I fought through the ups and downs …
asserted
I → fight → ups
What I know for a fact is that I fought, so I’m happy with that.”
asserted
I → know → that
A quarterfinalist at this year’s Australian Open, Jovic won her first WTA title last year in Guadalajara at age 17.
asserted
Jovic → win → age
She beat Eala at the French Open and Queen’s Club in London earlier this season in their prior meetings, but that was before Eala won her first WTA title at Washington.
asserted
Eala → beat → Washington
“She played an outrageous level tonight.
asserted
She → play → level
She was serving very good.
asserted
She → serve → ?
She was showing a lot more versatility with her returns,” Jovic said of Eala.
asserted
Jovic → show → Eala
“She’s playing some of the best tennis in the world right now, so it’s no doubt it takes a hell of an effort to beat her.”
asserted
it → play → her
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