Alex Eala suffered another heartbreaking three-set defeat, falling to Victoria Mboko after squandering a 4-1 lead in the final set of their Hong Kong Tennis Open round of 16 match.
Filipina tennis star Alex Eala once again came agonizingly close but fell short in another tight three-set battle, bowing to Victoria Mboko of Canada, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, in the round of 16 of the 2025 Hong Kong Tennis Open on Thursday night, October 30.
Eala started strong, taking the opening set 6-3 and carrying that momentum into the decider, where she built a commanding 4-1 lead.
But Mboko, ranked No. 21, stormed back with five consecutive games to steal the match and advance to the quarterfinals.
The loss marked another frustrating setback for the 20-year-old Eala, who has now suffered five three-set defeats in her last six singles matches
With the victory, Mboko earned a spot in the quarterfinals, where she will face world No. 35 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia.
—
Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.