Eala shifts focus back to WTA Tour after Asian Games campaign

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala is quickly turning the page after her gold-medal bid fell short at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, shifting her full attention to her upcoming return to the WTA Tour. The Filipina netter must swiftly move past her disappointing campaign as she prepares to compete in the Wuhan Open in China from October 12 to 18, followed immediately by the Ningbo Open, also in China, from October 19 to 25. “I’m going to Wuhan and continue the Tour,” Eala said after her impressive run was halted in the semifinals. Eala suffered a tough 6-3, 3-6, 2-6 defeat against China’s Wang Xiyu, settling for the bronze medal. Despite the setback, she expressed deep gratitude to those who supported her, emphasizing that she gave her absolute all on the court against her Chinese opponent. Reflecting on her stint, Eala remains positive about the experience, highlighting the valuable lessons learned and the specific areas of her game she plans to refine moving forward. “Happy that I was able to have this experience,” she shared. The exit was particularly heartbreaking as Eala entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and highest-ranked player, making her a strong favorite for the championship. Furthermore, she opted to...