Eala sets up Sakkari semi-final after Hong Kong win
The Filipina beat Antonia Ruzic 7-6(7), 7-5 in a quarter-final interrupted by rain.
Alexandra “Alex” Eala earned a place in the Hong Kong Tennis Open semi-finals with a 7-6(7), 7-5 victory over Antonia Ruzic, recovering from deficits late in both sets.
The Filipina’s next opponent is Greece’s Maria Sakkari, with the winner advancing to the final. Eala described the quarter-final as a demanding contest and praised Ruzic’s performance.
Eala led 3-2 in the first set before Ruzic moved ahead. She eventually forced a tiebreak at 6-6 and opened it with a 5-0 advantage. Ruzic responded with four successive points and later edged 7-6 in front, but Eala took three points in succession to secure the set.
In the second set, Eala moved from 2-2 to a 4-2 lead. Ruzic reduced the gap before rain halted the match in the eighth game. After play restarted, Ruzic went on to lead 5-4. Eala levelled again, then took the remaining two games to complete the win.
