MANILA — Alexandra Eala came within a set of reaching her first WTA final but ultimately bowed out in the semifinals of the ASB Classic, absorbing a gritty three-set loss to China’s Wang Xinyu on Saturday at the Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
The 20-year-old Filipina, ranked No. 48 in the WTA live rankings, fell 7-5, 5-7, 4-6 in a match that swung repeatedly on momentum, physical endurance, and late-set execution.
Eala showed remarkable resolve early, clawing back from a 0-5 deficit in the opening set by reeling off six straight games to steal the frame and seize control.
Wang steadied herself in the second set, capitalizing on missed chances by Eala, who was unable to close out the match after taking a 5-3 lead. The Chinese netter rattled off four consecutive games to force a deciding third set.
Momentum shifted decisively in the final set after Eala took a medical timeout while trailing 0-3 due to an apparent back issue, which hampered her movement and limited her ability to mount another comeback. Wang maintained her composure from there, gradually pulling away to book a spot in the final.
Despite the loss, Eala wrapped up an encouraging singles campaign in Auckland, highlighted by a commanding quarterfinal win over Poland’s Magda Linette in straight sets—her strongest showing yet in the early 2026 WTA season.
Her doubles bid also ended in the semifinals, as Eala and American partner Iva Jovic bowed to Chinese pair Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan on Friday.
The Auckland stint serves as a crucial tune-up for Eala as she heads into the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, with confidence drawn from another deep run against elite competition./PN
