Alex Eala advanced to the Hong Kong Open final on Saturday, defeating fourth seed Maria Sakkari in a match defined by rain delays that the Filipino player used to reset and refocus. The victory saw Eala securing her spot in the championship match with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 win over the world No. 3.
The rounds in Hong Kong have faced interruptions from inclement weather. For most players, a rain delay disrupts the flow of a match. Eala, however, has begun treating these stops as a reset button. This approach was on full display against Sakkari, a match that was stopped and restarted multiple times. The decisive momentum arrived only after Eala had surrendered an earlier lead, showcasing a resilience that has become a hallmark of her recent play.
The Battle Against Sakkari and the Elements
The match against Sakkari was a seesaw battle where weather was a deciding factor. According to Tennis Majors, the first set featured a series of service breaks. Eala broke Sakkari to go up 5-5 after a series of breaks, then broke her opponent again to secure the set at 7-5, converting her first set point to close it out.
The second set began with a light drizzle, and Sakkari seized the momentum, racing to a 3-0 lead before a more significant downpour halted play, ESPN reported. When the match resumed, Sakkari held her advantage and took the set 6-3.
Another final in the bag 😮💨 Alex Eala's 2026 is finishing with a flourish, as she defeats Sakkari 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to book her place in the Hong Kong final!#PHKTO2026 pic.twitter.com/5na15yAQKp
The final set proved to be a test of mental fortitude for Eala. She established an early lead, going up 3-0 and later 4-1. However, she failed to convert three separate double-break point opportunities in the sixth game, allowing Sakkari back into the set. Sakkari broke Eala’s serve and then held her own to level the score at 4-4.
Rappler described Eala’s struggle in the third set as a process of exorcising “ghosts of moments she had crumbled in the past.” For a few games, it seemed those ghosts were winning. Eala regained her composure in the ninth game, holding serve and then breaking Sakkari to go up 5-4. Sakkari saved one match point, but Eala closed it out on her second opportunity to win the match and advance.
Eala’s Mental Game: Clearing the Mind
A key to Eala’s success has been her mindset during the inevitable delays. When asked what she thinks about when play stops, Eala’s answer was telling. “I just had no thoughts, I think,” she said, as reported by South China Morning Post and Philstar. “It took a lot of patience.”
Eala consciously chooses to clear her head and start fresh with the next point. “The ability to consciously choose to stay in that moment and keep a positive mindset was really a big part of today’s match and my mindset overall,” she elaborated to Rappler.
Alex Eala is through in Hong Kong! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KTty5FpnEJ
While Sakkari dominated the ace count, 12 to 2, and saved 17 of 22 break points, Eala’s consistency was her weapon. She committed only one double fault to Sakkari’s six. Tennis Majors noted she won 79% of her first serves and broke Sakkari’s serve five times. ESPN reported Eala won 60 return points to Sakkari’s 38, demonstrating her effectiveness in extending rallies and pressuring the Greek player’s serve.
A Proven Pattern: From Washington to Hong Kong
This season, Eala has faced significant weather disruptions in two of her biggest matches, and in both, she returned to the court as a better player. The first came at the DC Open in August, where she won her first WTA 500 title.
Tennis365 reported that the Washington final was delayed for hours due to thunderstorms. Her opponent, Jessica Pegula, took the first set 6-4. The match was then suspended overnight due to a combination of rain and lightning with Pegula leading 6-4, 1-2. The following day, Eala broke Pegula in the 10th game of the second set and went on to win eight of the last ten games, securing a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory.
Both the Hong Kong and Washington matches were interrupted by weather. On both occasions, Eala was the player who returned to the court with a clearer mind and a stronger game.
Road to the Final and Upcoming Challenger
Eala’s path to the Hong Kong Open final was not without its own challenges. She defeated Alicia Parks and Tereza Valentaová before facing a grueling two-and-a-half-hour battle against Antonia Rudic in the quarterfinals, which she described as “a real rollercoaster and an unbelievably tough battle.”
This run of form makes Eala the first Filipino player to reach the semifinals of the Hong Kong Open, as noted by Tennis Majors. The victory is expected to elevate her world ranking to a personal-best No. 16. The WTA officially lists the Hong Kong Open final as Eala’s third career WTA final.
She will now face 26-year-old American Claire Liu in the final on Sunday. Liu, currently ranked No. 102, is also a qualifier, having defeated Aleksandra Shubladze 7-5, 6-4, as reported by South China Morning Post. This will be Liu’s first hardcourt final and her first WTA 250 final in over four years.
The head-to-head record slightly favors Liu, who defeated Eala in the first round of the 2025 Guangzhou event when Liu was ranked No. 305 and Eala was in the top 50. Despite this, Liu acknowledged her underdog status. “I definitely feel like the underdog,” she said. The match is scheduled for Victoria Park.
For Eala, this final holds special significance as it is her last official tournament of the season, coming before a welcome-home event in the Philippines on December 8. The final is set for Sunday at Victoria Park.
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