Alex Eala let a one-set advantage slip away, falling to Claire Liu in a grueling three-set duel at the Guangzhou Open in China.
Alex Eala’s singles journey at the Guangzhou Open came to an early end after a 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 heartbreaker to American qualifier Claire Liu in their Round of 32 clash on Tuesday, October 21.
After cruising through the first set, the 20-year-old Filipina looked in control—but Liu refused to back down, mounting a thrilling comeback that stretched the match to just under two and a half hours.
Eala briefly seized a 4-3 lead in the decider, only to lose the next two games, including a tense final one in which her serve was broken for the sixth time.
Liu then took over to close out the match, setting up a Round of 16 showdown with Hungarian ace Anna Bondar, who also survived a grueling 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 battle against China’s Guo Hanyu in the first round.
Though her singles campaign ended sooner than hoped, Eala’s Guangzhou run continues in doubles.
The Filipina has teamed up with Ukraine’s Nadiia Kichenok, and the pair are set to face fourth seed Emily Appleton of Great Britain and Qianhui Tang of China tomorrow, October 22, at 2:10 p.m. (PH time).
—
Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.