ALEX Eala secured at least a bronze medal after defeating Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland, 7-5, 6-0, in the women’s singles quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Games on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, Japan.
The top-seeded Filipina had to overcome a tight opening set before taking complete control in the second to punch her ticket to the semifinals.
According to a Philippine Olympic Committee report, the quarterfinal clash lasted one hour and 49 minutes.
Eala raced to a 3-2 lead early, but Garland fought back and moved ahead, 5-4, putting herself one game away from taking the first set.
The Filipina responded when it mattered most, winning three straight games to close out the set, 7-5.
Eala then dominated the second set, dropping just three points in the opening two games before completing the 6-0 sweep.
The victory assured Eala of at least a bronze, matching the singles medal she won at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
The 21-year-old Eala entered the tournament as the world No. 18 and top seed. She opened her campaign with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej before advancing to the quarterfinals.
Eala is seeking to improve on her 2023 bronze medal and continue her bid for the Asian Games singles title.
She is also competing in the women’s doubles with Shaira Hope Rivera. The pair opened their campaign with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Laam and Kallista Liu and advanced to face China’s third-seeded Jiang Xinyu and Yang Zhaoxuan. / LBG
