Alex Eala advances to second round of Prudential Hong Kong Open
Alex Eala ended her string of early exits in singles play as she advanced to the second round of the Prudential Hong Kong Open on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old Filipina tennis ace was leading 6-4, 2-1 when Great Britain’s Katie Boulter, last year’s runner-up, was forced to retire due to a left leg injury.
With the victory, Eala booked a spot in the Round of 16 where she faces third seed and world No. 21 Victoria Mboko of Canada. The match marks a big opportunity for Eala to bounce back after suffering consecutive first-round eliminations in Guangzhou, Osaka, and Wuhan.
“I’m really happy to advance to the next round. Obviously, it’s not in the way I wanted it to end,” said Eala, who wished her opponent a speedy recovery.
Eala entered the WTA 250 tournament with a career-high world ranking of No. 51 — a testament to her continued rise on the global tennis stage.
