Sourced online from Martin Cid by Tracy Cabrera
For most players, rain delays would be an unwelcome interruption, but Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra ‘Alex’ Eala has started treating it as a reset button as proven in her latest couple of wins in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 250 Prudential Hong Kong Open at the Victoria Park Centre Court.
In her semifinal match against former World Number 3 Maria Sakkari of Greece on Saturday night, the country’s pride simply wouldn’t be denied in her goal to reach the final, beating her Greek rival in a semifinal that kept stopping and starting.
Eala once again survived stiff opposition, fending off a late fightback by her 31-year-old opponent in another grueling match, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4, before a packed center court.
“I think in that moment she really stepped up and brought what she needed to bring to come back, so I tried every point to stay there and step up myself,” Eala, who had not yielded a set in the tournament prior to the semis, enthused in the post-match interview.
Asked about the rain delays, tha Filipinas was candid, saying: “I was just blank. I think it was a lot of patience, but a lot, a lot, a lot of focus. Gave me time to really focus on the next points. But I’m really happy to be able to come out of that a better player.”
With the win, the 21-year-old now closes in on a potential second WTA title if she triumphs over American ace Claire Liu, who swept Russian World No. 136 Alexandra Shubladze, 7-5, 6-4, in the other semifinal pairing.
in this match today, Eala is the heavy favorite against the 102nd-ranked Liu. But so far, nothing has come easy for Eala in Hong Kong.
After surviving an opening-match scare from Australian lucky loser Emerson Jones, Eala eked out tough two-setters against Czech Tereza Valentova, 6-4, 7-6(7), in the round of 16 and Croatian Antonia Ruzic, 7-6(7), 7-6, in the quarterfinal before overcoming a gritty performance by Sakkari.
