HANGZHOU. – Alex Eala pulled off one of the biggest comeback wins in Asian Games tennis history with a 0-6, 7-5, 6-0 win over Japanese Kyoka Okamura Wednesday that assured Team PH of another bronze medal at the Olympic Tennis Centre here.
Eala, seeded No. 4, looked like a beginner in the first set as she committed numerous turnovers — some were basic mistakes — not to mention Okamora’s solid game from the baseline.
She even lost her first serve in the second, giving Okamura a 2-0 lead.
But Eala found her second wind and rallied furiously to win the second set, taking the fight out of her Japanese rival.
The third set was a different story as it was Eala who dictated the tempo on the way to posting another win that could go down as one of the highlights of her young and flourishing career.
With the win, Eala, 18, arranged a semis date with top seed Zheng Qinwen of China, who survived a close opening set to beat Park Sohyn of South Korea 7-6 (4), 6-0.
Qinwen made it to the quarterfinals of the US Open in New York after beating last year’s runner-up, Ons Jabeur, of Tunisia.
While Eala is ranked No. 192, the Chinese top seed is rated No. 23 in the latest ITF rankings.
The last time a country won a medal in the continental showpiece was 17 years ago — courtesy of Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino who won two bronze medals in the Doha edition.
Eala’s job is far from done as she and Francis Casey Alcantara are scheduled to battle top seed Yuki Bhambri and Ankita Ravinderkrishan Raina of India in the third round of the mixed doubles event later in the afternoon.
