Alex Eala loses Hong Kong Open final to Claire Liu
Written by AI from aljazeera.com's report. Not checked by a person.
Second seed Alex Eala of the Philippines lost the Hong Kong Open final 6-3, 6-0 to American Claire Liu, who won her first tour title. Eala said the season had changed her life for the better.
Alex Eala of the Philippines lost the Hong Kong Open final in straight sets on Sunday, beaten 6-3, 6-0 by American Claire Liu. Eala was the second seed. Liu, ranked 102nd in the world, won the first tour title of her career.
Eala, 21, had hoped for a second WTA Tour title. Her first came in Washington, DC, in August, which made her the first player from the Philippines to win a tournament on the WTA Tour. She is at a career-high ranking of 17 and is set to rise to world number 15 next week. She began the year ranked 50th.
Eala finished the final with heavy strapping on her right leg. She became emotional as she spoke to the crowd afterwards. "This season has changed my life; it's changed my life for the better," she said.
Addressing her team in the stands, she said she was incredibly proud of the work they had put in this year. She added that they were the only ones who truly knew what it took to reach this point in their journey, and said: "This is only the beginning."
The report comes from Al Jazeera.
