Alex Eala failed to close out China's Wang Xinyu as her run in the 2026 ASB Classic came to an end in the semifinals.
Alex Eala’s 2026 ASB Classic run came to an end in the semifinals after falling to China’s Wang Xinyu in a marathon three-set battle, 7-5, 5-7, 4-6, on Saturday, January 10, in Auckland, New Zealand.
Trailing 0-4 early in the opening set, the 20-year-old Eala showed great composure, methodically working her way back before unleashing a strong finishing run to steal the first set and grab early momentum.
Wang responded in the second set, jumping out to a 3-1 lead, but the Filipina tennis ace once again steadied herself to level the frame at 3-all and then moved ahead to match point at 5-3.
But mirroring the first set, it was Wang that refused to fade this time and the WTA no. 57 reeled off four straight games to force a decider.
The third set swung decisively in Wang’s favor, as Eala dropped the opening games and took a medical timeout for back issues while trailing 0-3. Wang maintained control after the restart, pulling ahead to a 5-1 lead.
But Eala would not go down without a fight, stringing together three straight games to pull within one before Wang had just enough left in the tank to close out the match and secure her place in the Finals.
With the victory, Wang will face the winner of the other semifinal between top seed Elina Svitolina and fifth seed Iva Jovic—the latter also Eala’s doubles partner earlier in the tournament.
Eala, meanwhile, will look to recover and prepare for her upcoming stint as she looks ahead for the 2026 Australian Open slated from January 18 to February 1.
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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.