Eala says being tired at this point is a blessing

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala played for one hour and 54 minutes in a 6-4, 7-6 win against Tereza Valentova of Czechia Thursday night to reach the quarterfinals of the 2026 Hong Kong Open. After the grueling match, the 21-year-old Eala got real when a reporter told her that she "seems to be very tired." “Is that your impression? You tell me… Is that your impression? You look tired too. Are you tired? Aww, you should rest. Oh, you should rest. You should have some rest,” said  Eala.  The win pushed Eala to the round-of-8 of the 250 event in Hong Kong, her final WTA Tour tournament of a arduous but momentous 2026 season. “I think being tired, just like what I told in my interview if you saw it… Being tired is a blessing, and of course when you face opponents like Tereza and as motivated as you are to win, you’ll give everything you have,” added Eala, who is currently ranked 17th in the world. “So, I get tired, I recover, and I do everything to do it again. It’s a constant effort to do it again, and again, and again.” Eala, who started the 2026 season at rank 50 in the world, will face...