Alex Eala settles for bronze in 2026 Asian Games

MANILA, Philippines — Favored to win a gold medal, Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala settled for a bronze medal in the 2026 Asian Games after losing to Xiyu Wang of China in a grueling three-set match, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, on a windy Thursday afternoon at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center. The World No. 18 Eala, seeded No. 1 in the tournament, bowed to the World No. 85 Wang in the semifinals after a long three-hour battle. Eala fully took control of the match against Wang after a 5-0 start in the opening set, orchestrating razor-sharp swings. Wang did not back down from the fight and pulled three straight loves to challenge the No. 1-seeded netter of the tournament, 5-3. The World No. 18 Eala had enough with the back-and-forth against the World No. 85 Wang, loading up her swings to take the first set, 6-3. In set three, Wang held a comfortable 5-2 lead, nearing to book her ticket in the finals. Wang finished the match with a loaded swing, 6-2. Eala fell short in her bid to end the 64-year gold medal drought of the nation, as the last time the Philippines won a gold medal was at the 1962 Jakarta Games, when Johnny Jose defeated...