Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala finished as the runner-up at the WTA 250 Hong Kong Open on Sunday, November 8, after falling to American player Claire Liu, 3-6, 0-6, in the championship match.
The 21-year-old Eala fought hard through a competitive start before appearing to be hampered by a right leg injury. Despite her brave efforts, she could not overcome Liu’s aggressive offense and strong service game, missing out on what would have been her second career WTA title.
The opening set was tightly contested early on, with both players trading breaks to tie at 3-3. After Liu pulled ahead 4-3, Eala called for a medical timeout to have her right leg taped.
Following the resumption, Liu capitalized on the momentum, winning three straight games to secure the first set.
Eala attempted to mount a comeback at the start of the second set, pushing Liu through eight deuces in a grueling opening game before Liu ultimately broke serve. Riding that wave of momentum, Liu swept the remaining games to complete a love set and claim her first-ever WTA Tour singles title.
Despite the finals defeat, Eala’s impressive tournament run follows her recent climb to a career-high ranking of No. 17.