Alexandra Eala walked off the court late Saturday night, exhausted, smiling, and heartbroken all at once, the mark of a match that demanded everything she had.
The 20-year-old Filipino left-hander pushed seventh-seeded Wang Xinyu to the brink in a gripping ASB Classic semifinal that lasted nearly three hours and helped stretch Auckland’s tennis night past 10:30 p.m. Eala came within a point of her second WTA Tour final before Wang rallied for a 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory.
“So close yet so far,” Eala wrote on Instagram afterward. “’ Til my heart stops. Thank you, Auckland, for the warmest hospitality to start the year. Truly felt the wairua.”
Eala’s words captured the spirit of a match that swung wildly from start to finish and showcased her growing presence on the WTA Tour. Seeded fourth, she absorbed Wang’s early power, flipped momentum with fearless shot-making, and refused to fade even as the match slipped away.
Wang stormed to a 5-1 lead in the opening set, only to watch Eala rip off six straight games. Eala attacked the baseline, chased down balls that seemed lost, and turned defense into offense, sealing the set 7-5 as the crowd roared.
“She’s an absolute fighter,” Wang said. “It was a crazy battle from start to the end.”
Eala carried that confidence into the second set. After Wang broke early, Eala responded with three consecutive games to move ahead 5-3. Serving with a match point in hand, she stood one forehand away from the final. The margin proved unforgiving. A handful of unforced errors gave Wang an opening, and the Chinese player surged through the next four games to force a third set.
Momentum shifted again early in the decider as Wang raced to a 4-0 lead, leaning on her serve and forehand. Eala did not fold. She clawed back to 5-4, pressing Wang with extended rallies and aggressive returns. Wang steadied herself in the final game, holding serve to close out the win.
The numbers underscored how close it was. Eala earned 19 break points to Wang’s 15 and saved herself with relentless court coverage and creativity. After Eala’s missed match point, the players combined for 95 points, with Wang narrowly edging the stretch that mattered most.
For Eala, the loss still carried momentum. The Auckland run marked another step forward for the former junior Grand Slam champion, who continues to translate her grit and athleticism to the pro level. She reached the semifinals by knocking out higher-ranked opponents and proved she can trade blows deep into the night with established contenders.
Wang advanced to her second career WTA final, where she will face top seed Elina Svitolina, who later defeated American teenager Iva Jovic 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the night’s second semifinal. WTA/FROM THE WIRES