Alex Eala opened her 20th Asian Games women’s singles campaign in dominant fashion, cruising past Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, 6‑1, 6‑0, on Monday evening at Indoor Court C of the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, Japan.
The top‑seeded Eala was originally scheduled to play on the tournament’s Center Court, but persistent rain disrupted the tennis schedule and forced organizers to move matches indoors. Her match was also pushed back from its original 11 a.m. schedule.
Despite the unusual circumstances and a much smaller setting, the world No. 18 Filipina quickly adjusted. Once play finally began, the 2025 Southeast Asian gold medalist immediately established her superiority over the 31‑year‑old Thai.
The Filipina won the opening four games to build a commanding 4‑0 advantage, using aggressive returns and early ball striking to prevent Cheapchandej from settling into the match.
Cheapchandej finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth game after breaking Eala’s serve, forcing an error from the Filipina before finishing the game with a forehand winner.
Eala quickly erased any momentum from her opponent, though, taking the next two games to close out the opening set, 6‑1.
The first‑set victory continued Eala’s strong start despite the lengthy delay and change of venue.
Alex Eala Completes Second‑Set Bagel to Reach Quarters
The Rafa Nadal Academy graduate showed no signs of slowing down in the second set as she completely took control of the contest.
The world No. 18 did not surrender another game, winning six straight and needing only 55 minutes to dispatch Cheapchandej, who entered the match ranked No. 517 in the world.
Eala also dominated the statistical battle, winning 25 receiving points compared with Cheapchandej’s 17, while collecting 30 service points to her opponent’s five.
After the match, Eala emphasized the importance of remaining adaptable amid circumstances beyond her control.
“I think I performed pretty well,” Eala said in the post‑game conference. “Of course, the conditions are not ideal. But I guess it’s our job to adapt and it’s something not in our control. And of course, it adds some adversities, but that goes for everybody, I guess,” she added.
Alex Eala Faces Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei
The victory puts Alex Eala in the last eight, where she will meet Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland, who is seeded eighth in women’s singles.
Garland, a British‑Taiwanese player ranked No. 143 in the world, advanced after defeating Pakistan’s Mahin Aftab Qureshi, 6‑1, 6‑1.
Eala is now one victory away from securing another Asian Games medal. She previously won bronze in both women’s singles and mixed doubles at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
A quarterfinal victory would guarantee Alex Eala at least a bronze medal this time around as she continues her bid for the Philippines’ first Asian Games tennis gold since 1962.
The Filipina is also competing in women’s doubles with Shaira Rivera, which will happen later today.
