Yolanda Hopkins upsets World No. 3 Gabriela Bryan to reach WSL Championship Tour Philippines Pro quarterfinals

Manila Times - Oct 31, 2026

MANILA, Philippines —  World No. 14 Yolanda Hopkins pulled off a major reversal, knocking out World No. 3 Gabriela Bryan to advance to the quarterfinals of the inaugural World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro at the iconic Cloud 9 reef break in Siargao on Saturday. Hopkins came through in Heat 2 of the women's competition, posting a combined score of 10.10 from waves worth 5.27 and 4.83 to eliminate the highly-ranked American and arrange a quarterfinal showdown with World No. 6 Caitlin Simmers in the event presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), with the support of Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga. Bryan, finished ninth with a total of 7.00, combining scores of 4.00 and 3.00 to collect 2,000 championship points. The competition unfolded under four- to six-foot waves, giving the world's best surfers challenging conditions to display their skills, while calm winds helped maintain a steady lineup. Also making her way into the quarterfinals was Simmers, who dominated fellow American and World No. 11 Caroline Marks in their opening-round encounter. Simmers posted an impressive 15.17 on a 9.00 and a 6.17. Marks could only managed 9.00 from waves scoring 5.50 and...

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Eala heads to Hong Kong with ‘high motivation’

Oct 31, 2026

Eala heads to Hong Kong with ‘high motivation’

TOKYO — Philippines sensation Alexandra Eala lost in the quarter-finals in Tokyo on Friday and said she had "high motivation" to finish her breakthrough season with a bang next week in Hong Kong. Eala lost 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 against Russian No. 3 seed Diana Shnaider in her debut appearance at the Pan Pacific Open. The world number 19 has one more tournament left in a season that saw her become the first player from the Philippines to win a title on the women's WTA Tour in Washington in August. Eala will be among the favorites for the title in Hong Kong, and she said she was not in the mood to look back on her achievements yet. "I'm super excited, and I'm going in with high motivation," said the 21-year-old. "I'm trying to put my reflections off for one more week because of said motivation. Check back in a week." Eala won five straight games to take control of the first set, but the second set was a far closer affair. Neither player managed to break their opponent's serve, but world number 13 Shnaider edged the tie-breaker. Shnaider went a break up early in the third set and Eala needed treatment on her right foot before the Russian clinched the match with an ace. Eala said the match had been "a huge battle". "Both of us could take the match to a really, really high level," she said. "I'm proud of that despite the loss, but I do think I had my chances. "Next time, hopefully do better in those moments," she added. Eala was again backed by a large, passionate group of Philippines fans. She was playing in Japan for the second time in two months after reaching the semi-finals at the Asian Games in Nagoya. "To be in front of the crowd and to play in this atmosphere is always super special," she said. "I love Japan as a whole, whether I'm here for tennis or not, so I really had fun." Shnaider will play Mia Pohankova in the semi-finals after the 18-year-old Slovakian beat American Alycia Parks 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova will play Canada's Leylah Fernandez in the other semi-final. Fernandez advanced when world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew with a neck injury. AFP

SportsPlus brings 1v1 basketball closer to Pinoy hoop fans

Oct 31, 2026

SportsPlus brings 1v1 basketball closer to Pinoy hoop fans

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino basketball fans got a taste of one-on-one basketball action as SportsPlus, the country’s premier PAGCOR-licensed sportsbook, hosted an event featuring content creator Matt “MK” Kiatipis at SportsPlus Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City. Held in partnership with Serious Player Only, the event drew hundreds of fans eager to see Kiatipis take on familiar local basketball personalities, including reigning MPBL Slam Dunk champion Joe Gomez de Liaño and basketball impersonators Stepping Curry and Lebwrong James. Known for his brash on-court personality and aggressive style, Kiatipis brought his competitive brand to the venue, letting fans see 1v1 basketball's growing appeal up close. “Every place is electric is nowadays, but I was very surprised by Asia. We have been to Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and now the Philippines, all of them. Asia is just so passionate about basketball. They love it,” said Kiatipis, who has more than 9 million followers on social media. “I was not expecting this many people to show up, this many people to be excited, this culture to be so deep; it is an amazing surprise. So much passion and so much skill,” he continued. “The Philippines, they love basketball, and I love basketball, but I got to love it as much as them.” Beyond the on-court action, SportsPlus treated attendees to merchandise giveaways, adding to the interactive experience. For Gomez de Liaño, initiatives like these offer an opportunity to bring basketball enthusiasts together and build stronger connections within the local basketball community. “It was very nice putting the community together; it is good for the crowd they loved watching it. SportsPlus, keep continuing to grow and have more events. You guys are doing well, and for MK, keep up your vlogging. It is a hit everywhere in the world,” said Gomez de Liaño. The event was part of SportsPlus’ broader efforts to bring fans closer to the sport they love through live experiences, interactive activities, and community-driven initiatives. SportsPlus Head of Brand Marketing Paul Macalindong said fans can expect more activities designed to engage local sports communities. “Fans can always look forward to more exciting and engaging sports from SportsPlus,” Macalindong said. “We are committed to delivering fun and memorable live experiences for Filipino sports fans in the years to come.” TMT

Eala eyes strong finish in 2026 season at Hong Kong Open

Oct 31, 2026

Eala eyes strong finish in 2026 season at Hong Kong Open

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine tennis trailblazer Alex Eala seeks a strong finish to her 2026 season at the WTA 250 Hong Kong Open in China. Following a breakthrough quarterfinal finish at the 500 Tokyo Open in Japan, Eala flies to Hong Kong for its tournament which will run from November 2 to 8. World No. 19 Eala fell to No. 13 Diana Shnaider in a hard-fought Tokyo Open quarterfinal, 6-2, 6(5)-7, 4-6, on Friday. Eala has been having a historic season with a fourth-round finish at Wimbledon last July, a maiden WTA title at D.C Open last August and a career-high rank No. 18 first achieved in the same month. The 21-year-old has been not as sharp this Asian Swing, though, with a 3-win and 4-loss record. Those losses including upsets at the hands of world No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova at Singapore Open and No. 217 Shi Han at Wuhan. Eala regained some of her mojo in Tokyo with a breakthrough quarterfinal appearance in all of her Asian Swing campaign. Battling Shnaider for nearly three hours, Eala lost steam and fell to the Russian anew after yielding to the latter in Ningbo second round last week. At the 250-tier Hong Kong Open, Eala is seeded No. 3 and one of the favorites to win it all after No. 1 seed Shnaider and No. 2 seed and world No. 16 Sorana Cirstea. Completing the top 8 seeds are world No. 23 Leylah Fernandez, No. 30 Maria Sakkari, No. 35 Jasmine Paolini, No. 38 Talia Gibson, and No. 39 Wang Xinyu. Last year, Eala reached the second round of the Hong Kong Open. She walked over at 6-4, 2-1 against Katie Boulter who retired due to an injury in their first-round clash before succumbing to Victoria Mboko in the second, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6.