Alex Eala reacts immediately after beating Tereza Valentova to reach Hong Kong quarter-final, ‘I escaped a little bit’

Alex Eala defeated Tereza Valentova6-4, 7-6, in the second round of the Hong Kong Open.

In what was described by commentator Mark Valledy as the ‘match of the tournament’, Eala battled through two tight sets to take down Valentova, who had won their first two career meetings.

Eala took a 5-0 lead in the second-set tiebreak before her Czech opponent worked her way back into the match. Valentova saved several match points, playing some simply remarkable tennis, until Eala finally finished the job 7-6 (9-7). During her post-match interview, the Filipina delivered her verdict on the match.

Alex Eala admits she ‘escaped’ with the win against Tereza Valentova in Hong Kong

“It was so tough; it was really, really tough. I think Tereza [Valentova] played incredibly, and we were able to bring the match to a really high level. I think that was reflected on the scores, so I’m really happy with that win. I think I escaped a little bit,” said Eala.

“I don’t really know! It was a long second set, a long tiebreak, for sure – just focusing on the next point,” added Eala when asked how she managed to maintain her composure when Valentova fought back from 0-5 down in the second-set tiebreak.

Alex Eala vs Tereza Valentova – Match stats

Eala was then asked whether she had devised a game plan heading into the match, after losing her previous two meetings against Valentova, in Japan (2025) and Qatar (2026).

“Of course, you don’t go into battle without a plan. Yeah, I think there were, of course, the previous two meetings were super difficult. I knew it was going to be a tough battle; I just tried to be better than the previous times we met,” she said.

Alex Eala and Tereza Valentova’s head-to-head record (1-2)

• 2025 Japan Women’s Open 1R – Tereza Valentova defeated Alex Eala, 6-1, 6-2
• 2026 Qatar Open 1R – Tereza Valentova defeated Alex Eala, 7-6, 6-1
• 2026 Hong Kong Open 2R – Alex Eala defeated Tereza Valentova, 6-4, 7-6

Eala can now look forward to the quarter-finals, as she edges closer to her first WTA title in Asia, her home continent. But who else stands between Eala and the Hong Kong Open crown?

Alex Eala’s route to the Hong Kong Open title

Eala will return to play Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic in the Hong Kong Open quarter-finals. She has never played Ruzic before, but with 64 places separating them in the world rankings, you’d back Eala to advance.

If Eala avoids the upset in the quarter-finals, she will meet qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich or Greek star Maria Sakkari in the semis. Eala is 1-0 against Sasnovich, having beaten her in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, although she has yet to meet Sakkari, the fourth seed.

The Filipina won’t want to overlook her quarter-final opponent or her semi-final opponents, but is surely the favourite to reach the final, where she could meet one of five players: Sorana Cirstea, Mary Stoiana, Alexandra Shubladze, Zeynep Sonmez, or Claire Liu.

Eala would be expected to beat four of the five names listed above. Cirstea is the one exception. The Romanian may retire from tennis at the end of the week, but she continues to impress whenever she steps onto the court and will be determined to finish her career on a high. If Eala plays Cirstea, the top seed, in the final, she will have her work cut out for her.

The 2026 Hong Kong Open final will be contested on Sunday, November 8. Eala will play Ruzic in the quarter-finals on Thursday, November 6.