Alex Eala Wins Asian Games Bronze Medal After Semis Loss to Chinese Foe
Filipina tennis player Alex Eala bags bronze medal after losing to the Chinese top seed at the semifinals of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Eala displayed remarkable resilience but came up short against Zheng Qinwen, who holds the 23rd rank in the WTA women’s tennis singles semifinals at the 19th Asian Games. The tournament’s fourth seed was eventually defeated by the top-seeded Chinese player, who reached the 2023 US Open quarterfinals, with a score of 1-6, 7-6(5), 3-6.
Despite being significantly shorter than her Chinese opponent, standing at 5-foot-8, Eala managed to bounce back from a slow start and delivered a commanding performance in the second set. Initially struggling, Eala, who is ranked 190th in the WTA, staged a comeback and successfully saved three match points during the second set, leading to a tie-break that forced a decisive third set.
However, fatigue caught up with Eala, particularly due to her double duty on Wednesday, where she played singles in the morning and participated in mixed doubles later in the day, based on the report of PNA. Despite her impressive effort in saving those three match points, Eala ultimately settled for the bronze medal.
Zheng emerged victorious and secured her spot in the finals. This marks the Philippines’ fifth bronze medal and sixth overall medal in this year’s Asian Games. Furthermore, it signifies the country’s first Asian Games medal in singles tennis in 61 years and the first medal in tennis at the Asian Games since 2006.
Before the semifinals, Eala began her inaugural Asian Games campaign with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory over Pakistani player Sarah Ibrahim Khan in the second round, following a bye in the first round. She continued her winning streak by defeating the 13th-seeded Indian Rutuja Bhosale in the third round with a score of 7-6(5), 6-2, and the 11th-seeded Japanese player Kyoka Okamura in the quarterfinals, staging a comeback with a score of 0-6, 7-5, 6-0.
What are your thoughts on this article? Just feel free to leave your reactions in the comment section.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. We aim to give the freshest and in-demand content to our visitors. Come back next time at Philnews for more updated news.