Alex Eala suffers season-ending stunner as Liu dominates Hong Kong final

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina tennis superstar Alex Eala met a disappointing end to what was otherwise a prolific Hong Kong Open run, and a historic 2026 season overall, as American foe Claire Liu cruised to a dominant 6-3, 6-0 title-winning finale on Sunday, November 8.

With the stunning win over the world No. 17 Eala, world No. 102 Liu finally earned a breakthrough career singles title at the WTA 250 level after earning two WTA 125 championships.

Liu’s title win marked a second consecutive upset at the Filipina icon’s expense, as the 26-year-old, then world No. 305, booted the top-50 Eala at the 2025 Guangzhou Open first round in their only other head-to-head meeting.

With that footnote likely in the back of their minds, Liu kept her aggression up from the get-go, seizing the opening frame with a 3-0 finish from a competitive 3-3 deadlock to set the tone, 6-3.

Desperate to turn the tide, Eala poured everything she had into the first game of the second set, denying four break points in a prolonged back-and-forth point trade before finally losing her serve and the first point to Liu.

Likely out of gas and definitely out of momentum, Eala faded quicker as the points piled on, losing her serve in the third and fifth games before Liu finally put the Filipina out of her misery with a stunning bagel finish, 6-0, and nine straight won games for the title.

The 6-0 burial marked a dim end to a monumental 2026 season for Eala, who proved worthy of her lofty world ranking with a sensational rise to the Hong Kong Open final and a career milestone WTA 500 Washington DC Open championship last August.

“First and foremost, I want to congratulate Claire on an amazing tournament, a great week and a great match. Very, very well deserved congratulations. I’d like to thank the tournament staff and the organizers for the amazing hospitality, the physios for keeping me together,” Eala said.

“And of course, the fans, thank you, thank you, thank you. I mean, wrapping up this year, you guys do not know how much meaning you add on top of what I do, and how much of a pleasure it is to go about my life sharing these moments with you all. So I’m forever grateful.”

Eala soon heads home to bask in her career highs and 2026 season overall with a big homecoming event, “Alex Eala Live: Game. Set. Celebrate,” at the massive Philippine Arena on December 8. – Rappler.com