Alex Eala ends ASB Classic run after bowing to Wang Xinyu in semis

Alexandra "Alex" Eala recovered from a slow start, but ultimately ran out of steam down the stretch to absorb a 7-5, 5-7, 4-6 loss to Wang Xinyu of China in the ASB Classic semifinals on Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand. 

Wang, the seventh seed in the tournament, will face either Elina Svitolina of Ukraine or Iva Jovic of USA in the championship round. 

Eala and Jovic previously teamed up in the doubles round, where they absorbed a semifinals exit. 

With the loss, Eala closed out her first tournament for the year and will next see action at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, Australia. 

Eala was deep in a 0-4 hole in the opening frame before regaining her form and winning seven of the next eight games, including the final one which she ended with a double fault from the 24-year-old Wang. 

Wang staged a similar fightback in Set 2, erasing a 3-5 deficit and dominating the next four games to level the game into one set apiece and force a deciding third set. 

Eala momentarily left the court to undergo a medical timeout and address her back issues after being down 0-3 in the final frame.

The world no. 53 would then return and find herself in a 0-4 disadvantage, but replicated the fighting spirit she displayed early on by taking advantage of several errors from Wang to steal four of the next five games, 4-5. 

However, Wang found the right finishing touches she needed to give Eala the boot. 

Eala came from a historic 2025 season that saw her break into the WTA Top 100, claim her first WTA 125 title, and secure her first Southeast Asian Games gold medal.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News