Alex Eala gave everything she got but still came up short against China’s Wang Xinyu 7-5, 5-7, 4-6, to bow out of the 2026 WTA 250 ASB Classic on Saturday.
Comeback Falls Short
Eala endured a shaky start as Wang broke twice to surge ahead, 4-0, in the opening set and later served for it at 5-2. But Eala finally settled into rhythm, reeling off six straight games as Wang cracked under pressure, even double faulting on set point to hand the Filipina a stunning 7-5 opener.
The pattern flipped in the second. Wang, who is No. 57 in the world, again struck early, but Eala clawed back behind relentless defense to take a 5-3 lead and earn a match point. But the Filipina’s attempt at a winner sailed just long, allowing Wang to escape, break serve, and win four straight games to level the contest.
The deciding set swung Wang’s way after the 20-year-old Filipina called for a medical timeout for a back issue while trailing 0-3.
The 24-year-old Chinese pushed ahead 5-1, but Eala closed to within 5-4. This time, however, Wang kept her nerve, holding serve to seal the 6-4 victory and secure a finals berth.
FINAL SCORES
SET 1: 7-5
SET 2: 5-7
SET 3: 4-6
Despite the loss, Eala capped an impressive week in which she defeated Donna Vekic, Petra Marcinko, and Magda Linette to reach the semifinals. She will next head to Melbourne for the Kooyong Classic as she continues preparations for the Australian Open.
Closing Matches Still Needs Polishing
While Eala showed improvement in terms of protecting leads and in overcoming big deficits, she’ll need to sharpen up even more so she can better close out matches.
Even so, making it to the semis and being a couple of points away from sealing a spot in the finals is nothing to sneeze at as Eala prepares for the Australian Open later this month. And if the 20-year-old sensation can build on the positives from this tournament and work on her weaknesses, there’s a good chance 2026 will be an even bigger year.
