Eala Dominates Malaysian Rival, Clinches SEA Games Tennis Bronze

Sports | Tennis Posted on 2025-12-16 01:21:19

NONTHABURI – Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala guaranteed herself at least a bronze medal at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after overpowering Malaysia’s Shihomi Leong, 6-3, 6-1, in their quarterfinal clash on Monday noon at the National Tennis Development Center here.

The 20-year-old standout finally saw competitive action after missing matches during the team event and made an immediate statement, showcasing her poise and power on court. Eala cruised through the second set with a commanding 6-1 performance, sealing the match in emphatic fashion.

She faced early resistance in the opening set, briefly falling behind 1-3, but quickly regained control by rattling off five consecutive games to swing momentum decisively in her favor.

Following the victory, the WTA World No. 53 was greeted by loud cheers from fans who packed the stands to watch her compete in the biennial meet.

“I’m very happy with the first round. It gave me good challenges, and I’m really happy with the crowd—so many people came to watch. Thank you very much for the support,” Eala told POC Media.

With the win, Eala advanced to the semifinals, where she will face Thailand’s Thasasporn Naklo, as she aims to surpass her bronze-medal finish at the 2022 SEA Games in Vietnam.

Eala has already secured one bronze medal in the team event at this year’s Games and remains in medal contention in other categories.

Later in the day, she is set to compete in the mixed doubles quarterfinals alongside Niño Alcantara, where another victory would assure her of at least another bronze medal, adding to her growing SEA Games medal tally.