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Fourth seed Alex Eala of the Philippines will take home at least a bronze medal from her Asian Games debut in Hangzhou, China as she barged into the women’s singles semifinals with a come-from-behind win.
Eala, 18, overcame Japanese 11th seed Kyoka Okamura in Wednesday’s quarterfinals on Centre Court of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, 0-6, 7-5, 6-0.
The four-time ITF women’s singles winner with three Southeast Asian Games bronze medals will duel with either Chinese top seed Qinwen Zheng or South Korean 10th seed Sohyun Park in the semifinals on Thursday.
With a current career-best ranking of WTA World No. 190, Eala completed her impressive quarterfinal turnaround with 79 total points won, six out of eight break point conversions, three aces, and one double fault.
A total of 70 points won, five out of 12 break point conversions, one ace, and six double faults, meanwhile, were tallied by the 347th-ranked Okamura.
The 27-year-old Japanese with two ITF women’s singles crowns surged to 4-0, then saved a game point to serve for the set at 5-0.
Eala caught up to deuce and challenged her opponent in the lengthy game, which Okamura won on her fifth set point, 6-0.
The Filipino finally made it to the scoreboard with a hold in the third game, 1-2, and she backed this up with a break for 2-2.
The Japanese broke back on her fifth chance, and Eala responded with a break at 40-15.
They exchanged two pairs of service holds to be even at 5-5, until Eala held for 6-5 and broke on her first of two set points to force a deciding set, 7-5.
Eala leveled up in the third set by winning three consecutive love games and breaking at deuce for a roaring 4-0 lead.
She saved three break points to continue her streak, 5-0, and proceeded to earn three match points in the sixth game.
The 2022 US Open Juniors singles champion and Rafa Nadal Academy player concluded the match with a break at love, 6-0, to achieve a podium finish in her maiden Asiad stint.
After getting a bye in the opening round, Eala eliminated Pakistani Sarah Ibrahim Khan in the second round, 6-0, 6-0, and Indian 13th seed Rutuja Bhosale in the third round, 7-6(5), 6-2.
In the mixed doubles competition, No. 14 seeds Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara will challenge Indian top seeds Ankita Raina and Yuki Bhambri in the third round later today on Court 2.
Eala and Alcantara, who are both junior doubles grand slam champions, received a bye in the opening round then routed Nepal’s Sunira Thapa and Pranav Khanal in the second round, 6-0, 6-0
Alcantara, 31, also partnered with Ruben Gonzales in the men’s doubles first round, where the two-time SEA Games gold medalists and No. 4 seeds lost to Thailand’s Thantub Suksumrarn and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul on Sunday, 6-4, 4-6, 5-10.
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