Alex Eala will now try to regain her winning form at next week’s Italian Open after pulling out in Catalonia.
Eala has had a challenging start on clay. She was swept by Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the second round of the Madrid Open on Saturday.
In Rome, Eala faces another tall order against a star-studded field bannered by top players Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff and defending champion Jasmine Paolini, among others.
Paolini, born and raised in Italy, cruised past Gauff, 6-4, 6-2, in last year’s final.
The 20-year-old Eala hopes to go far this time in her Italian Open return. She lost to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, 6-0, 6-1, in the first round last year.
Eala also competed in doubles at the Italian Open, teaming up with Gauff. The Filipino-American duo reached the quarterfinal round and lost to home bets Paolini and Sara Errani, 5-7, 6-3, 7-10.
Paolini claimed a historic double after she and Errani clinched the crown following a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in the title match.
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