BREAKING: Filipino Fans Left Heartbroken as Eala and Auger-Aliassime Bow Out of US Open Mixed Doubles
Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime made a quick exit from the US Open mixed doubles, losing comprehensively to Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils.
The husband-and-wife tandem needed just 39 minutes to claim a 4-1, 4-1 win at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York and advance to the quarterfinals.
The tournament features a unique format, with pairs needing just four points to win a set.
Eala and Auger-Aliassime started brightly, as the Canadian world No. 4 held serve for a 1-0 lead. From there, however, wildcards Monfils and Svitolina took over, winning four straight games to take the opener.
Errors proved costly for Eala and Auger-Aliassime, with the latter committing two double faults in the fifth game to clinch the set for their opponents.
The pairs traded holds in the first three games of the second set, before an error-strewn fourth game by Eala and Auger-Aliassime handed Monfils and Svitolina a lead that they would not relinquish.
A forehand winner by Monfils gave their tandem two match points, before a rare error by Svitolina temporarily stalled their march. But Auger-Aliassime sent a return to the net, wrapping up their campaign in quick fashion.
“I’m very happy to play finally with Gael,” said world No. 9 Svitolina. “It’s nice to share the court together. We were trying to be really focused, but also to have fun.”
Frenchman Monfils is playing in his final Grand Slam before he retires at the end of the season.
Monfils and Svitolina will play the winner of the round-of-16 match between the pairs of Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, and qualifiers Kateřina Siniaková and Henry Patten
