MANILA — World No. 17 Alexandra Eala overcame a last-minute change of opponent to launch her Hong Kong Open campaign with a commanding 6-4, 6-3 victory over Australian Emerson Jones on Tuesday night at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium in Hong Kong.
The 21-year-old Filipina, seeded second in the WTA 250 tournament, secured a Round of 16 berth despite having to adjust her preparations after American Alycia Parks withdrew shortly before their scheduled match due to a shoulder injury.
Jones stepped in as a replacement, but Eala maintained her composure to dispatch the Australian in straight sets and keep her bid for a strong finish to her breakthrough 2026 season on track.
“Super happy to be here in Hong Kong,” Eala said in her on-court interview. “Super happy with the performance, super happy to be here in front of all you guys again.”
“It was a really good match. Emerson is such a sweetheart off the court and such a great player on it, so looking forward to many more matches together in the future,” she added.
Eala also thanked the Hong Kong crowd for its enthusiastic support, describing the tournament as an ideal setting to conclude her remarkable season.
“I cannot say enough how much I enjoy playing in front of you guys. There are few places in the world that would be better to cap off the season, this amazing season, than here in Hong Kong, very close to home,” she said.
The Filipina tennis sensation will face Czechia’s Tereza Valentona in the Round of 16 on Thursday, seeking to advance deeper into her final scheduled tournament of the year.
Eala entered the Hong Kong Open riding the momentum of a career-defining season highlighted by her maiden WTA title at the Mubadala DC Open and a career-high world ranking of No. 17.
She also reached the Wimbledon Round of 16 and the Berlin Tennis Open semifinals, further cementing her status among the rising stars of women’s tennis./PN
