HUGE COMEBACK. Filipina tennis star Alex Eala celebrates after scoring against Japanese Kyoka Okamura in the 19th Asian Games at the Olympic Tennis Centre in Hangzhou, China on Wednesday (Sept. 27, 2023). Eala pulled off one of the biggest comeback wins in tennis history of the Games with a 0-6, 7-5, 6-0 win that assured Team PH another bronze medal. (PSC-POC Media Group)
HANGZHOU, China – Alex Eala pulled off one of the biggest comeback wins in the tennis history of the Asian Games with a 0-6, 7-5, 6-0 win over Japanese Kyoka Okamura at the Olympic Tennis Centre here Wednesday, assuring Team Philippines of another bronze medal.
Eala, seeded No. 4, looked like a beginner in the first set as she committed basic mistakes while Okamora had a solid game from the baseline.
She even lost her first serve in the second, giving Okamura a 2-0 lead.
Eala found her rhythm and rallied furiously to win the second set which proved enough to beat her Japanese rival.
The third set was a different story as it was Eala who dictated the tempo on the way to posting another win that could go down as one of the highlights of her flourishing career.
The victory arranged the 18-year-old Filipina sensation a semifinal date with top seed Zheng Qinwen of China, who survived a close opening set to beat Park Sohyn of South Korea, 7-6 (4), 6-0.
Zheng made it to the quarterfinals of the recent US Open in New York after beating last year’s runner-up, Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.
While Eala is ranked No. 192, the Chinese top seed is rated No. 23 in the latest world rankings.
The last time a country took home a tennis medal in the continental showpiece was 17 years ago, courtesy of Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino who won bagged bronze medals in the Doha edition.
Eala’s job is not yet done for the day as she and Francis Casey Alcantara were scheduled to battle top seeds Yuki Bhambri and Ankita Ravinderkrishan Raina of India in the third round of the mixed doubles event later in the afternoon. (PSC-POC Media Group/PNA)
