FILE – Alex Eala in her women’s singles semifinals at the Asian Games. – SWIMMING POOL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Hours after losing in the women’s singles semifinals, Alex Eala secured yet another bronze medal at the 19th Asian Games.
Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara defeated Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum and Maximus Jones 6-4, 6-4 to reach the mixed doubles semi-finals at the Hangzhou Olympic Tennis Center in China on Thursday.
Fatigue did not stop 18-year-old Eala from conspiring with Alcantara to beat the Thais in just 79 minutes in their quarter-final match.
The Filipino tandem broke a 4-4 tie in the opening set and won two games in a row, culminating in a flawless 10th game that drew first blood.
Kumkhum and Jones threatened to extend the second game, cutting the Philippines’ lead to just one, 5–4, but Eala and Alcantara punched their ticket to the Final Four.
Eala and Alcantara will face Liang En-shuo and Huang Tsung-hao from Chinese Taipei on Friday.
Earlier, Eala pushed world number 23 Zheng Qinwen of China to the limit before succumbing to a 1-6, 7-6(5), 3-6 defeat in their thrilling semi-final clash.
The Rafael Nadal Academy graduate settled for a bronze medal in the singles division after an impressive debut in Asia.
Eala won bronze with Treat Huey in the mixed doubles at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, where she also finished third in the singles and team events.
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