Leveling up with Alex

It's difficult not to think that Alex Eala could've advanced to the Miami Open Finals if only she held serve in the ninth game of the first set against World No. 4 Jessica Pegula.

- By JOAQUIN M. HENSON

Eala had three double faults in that game with the first giving Pegula a 30-0 lead. But Eala powered back to make it 40-30 for set point. Then came deuce on her second double fault and Pegula capitalized on a third double fault for game point. Pegula went on to break Eala and survived. Still, Eala had a chance to take the set but lost in the tiebreak.

In the second set, Eala slipped and twisted her ankle after Pegula went up, 30-15, in the first game. She soldiered on but took a medical timeout for her ankle to be taped "like a mummy" before the fourth game which Eala lost. Battling like a wounded warrior, Eala stormed back to win six of the next eight games for the set, 7-5. So if she had won the first set, Eala would've sealed the ticket to face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.