Alex Eala advances to 2026 Hong Kong Open quarterfinals after beating Tereza Valentova
Following a hard-fought match, Alex Eala is through to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Hong Kong Open after defeating Czech Republic's Tereza Valentova.
Eala took the first set, 6-4, after building an early lead against Tereza Valentova, although the Czech player managed to close the gap late in the set.
The second set proved to be a much tighter contest, with the two players trading breaks and holds throughout. Valentova took a 5-3 lead and appeared close to forcing a deciding third set, but Eala fought back, winning three consecutive games to move ahead, 6-5. Valentova held serve to force a tiebreak, where Eala raced to a 3-0 lead before extending her advantage to 5-2.
Valentova refused to go down without a fight, winning back-to-back points before leveling the tiebreak at 7-7. Eala eventually converted her fourth match point to win the tiebreak, 9-7, and seal the 6-4, 7-6 (7) victory.
The win marks a sweet comeback for Eala against a familiar foe. Valentova, 19, had beaten the Filipina in their two previous meetings: 6-1, 6-3 in Osaka in 2025 and 7-6, 6-1 in Doha earlier this year.
"It was so tough. It was really, really tough. I think Tereza played incredibly and we were able to bring the match to a really high level," Eala said during the post-match interview.
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"I think that it was reflected in the scores, so I'm really happy with that win," she added. "I think I escaped by a little bit."
Despite the lengthy second set and tie-break, Eala said she focused on winning the next point. Before the match, Eala reflected on her year so far, saying she is grateful for the opportunities and experiences that came with competing on the international stage.
"My year has been absolutely just incredible, and I'm so grateful for everything that I've been through… I mean, if I'm tired and I'm 17 in the world, that's great," she said.
"Being tired is a blessing as well. Being tired means that I've been working hard, I've been having lots of matches, competing a lot. Being tired means that I'm healthy enough to work," she added. "I'm healthy enough and in a healthy mindset to put myself in these situations of pressure. So, yes, I think I'm doing great."
Hong Kong Open is Eala's final season for 2026. She is set to face Croatia's Antonia Ruzic in the quarter-finals happening on Friday, Nov. 6.
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