Filipina tennis player Alexandra "Alex" Eala achieved a significant milestone by securing her first Tour-level semifinal spot of the Asian hard-court season at the Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026. Eala triumphed over Croatia's Antonia Ruzic with a score of 7-6(7), 7-5.
The match took place at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, lasting two hours and 33 minutes. Eala, currently ranked No. 17 in the world, is set to face fourth seed Maria Sakkari of Greece, who is ranked No. 30.
I think more than staying focused, it was just choosing to push through and give everything that I have.
Alexandra Eala, Tennis Player
During the match, Eala demonstrated resilience, overcoming deficits in the first set. After battling from 4-5 and 5-6, she forced a tiebreak, establishing a commanding lead of 5-0 before taking the first set after 81 minutes.
Eala continued her strong performance in the second set, initially taking a 4-2 lead after breaking Ruzic's serve twice. However, Ruzic fought back to lead 5-4 after a brief rain delay.
Ultimately, Eala regained her composure, winning three consecutive games to secure her victory in straight sets. Reflecting on the match, she described it as a "roller-coaster" and acknowledged Ruzic's impressive play.
As the Washington DC Open champion, Eala now focuses on her upcoming semifinal against Sakkari, where a place in the finals awaits.