By Ian Ransom
NAGOYA, Japan, Oct 1 (Reuters) – Alex Eala’s hopes of a maiden Asian Games gold medal and qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics tennis tournament were crushed on Thursday as China’s unheralded Wang Xiyu rallied to a 3-6 6-3 6-2 win over the Filipino top seed.
Eala, the Southeast Asian nation’s first WTA title winner and a fan favourite on tour, was consigned to a second singles bronze medal and third in total, having also taken the mixed doubles bronze at Hangzhou three years ago.
The 21-year-old gave up a chance for ranking points and prize money at the concurrent China Open to represent the Philippines in Nagoya and may get a fine and ranking penalty from the WTA for skipping the mandatory event in Beijing.
Eala said she had no regrets.
“I’m really happy to have experienced this, to experience the support … and to be with the team and, yeah, to compete for the country,” she told reporters.
The world number 18 was on track for her first Asian Games final but her level dropped in the second set before she crumbled to a 4-1 deficit in the third.
The 85th-ranked Wang fought off break points against the increasingly desperate Eala before serving out the match to love at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
“(Wang) was more consistent. I had a couple of ups and downs during the match which is something I have to talk to my team about and process,” said Eala.
Wang will meet 37-year-old Zhang Shuai in an all-China final.
She may have her hands full against former Wimbledon and Australian Open quarter-finalist Zhang who rolled back the years to beat Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-4 6-2.
Zhang has medalled at three previous Asian Games, taking silver in the 2018 singles in Jakarta and a team gold at her home Games at Guangzhou 2010.
She will be in her 40s when the next Games launch in Doha in 2030 but was not ruling out playing.
“I always feel like this may be my last Games. But look, aren’t I here again?” she said.
“As long as you don’t give up on yourself, no one else in this world can give you that death sentence.”
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Ken Ferris)
