Alex Eala defeated Emerson Jones, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round of the 2026 Hong Kong Open.
The Filipina wasn’t at her best in round one, but still managed to book her place in the second round of the Hong Kong Open. There, Eala will play Czechia’s Tereza Valentova, the world number 85.
After winning her first-round match, Eala delivered her verdict on the fans at the Hong Kong Open and her 18-year-old opponent, Jones.
Alex Eala says there aren’t many places she’d rather play than in Hong Kong
“Super happy to be here in Hong Kong, super happy with the performance, and super happy to be in front of you guys again. It was a really good match. Emerson [Jones] is such a sweetheart off the court and such a great player on it. I am looking forward to many more matches together,” she said.
Which of these four WTA players do you think is most likely to win a Grand Slam in 2027?
“I cannot say enough how much I enjoy playing in front of you guys. There are few places in the world that would be better to cap off this amazing season than here in Hong Kong, very close to home.”
Eala has played several tournaments in Asia this year, including the Dubai Tennis Championships, the Wuhan Open, the Qatar Open, and her home Philippine Women’s Open. She has yet to win a title above the ITF level on the continent, though, something she’ll be keen to remedy in Hong Kong.
However, if she is to do so, Eala must improve in the second round. The 21-year-old was broken four times by a player ranked 115 places below her in her opening match. If the Filipina isn’t stronger on serve in her next match, she could be headed for another early exit, having lost her opening matches in Singapore and Wuhan recently.
Alex Eala vs Emerson Jones – Match stats
| Stats | Alex Eala | Emerson Jones |
| Aces | 1 | 1 |
| Double faults | 4 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 64% | 59% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 62% | 53% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 38% | 33% |
| Break points won | 6/8 | 4/7 |
| Total points won | 63 | 53 |
Eala will return to play her second-round match against Valentova on Thursday, November 5, but who else could stand in her way as she bids to win a second WTA title?
Alex Eala’s projected route to the Hong Kong Open title
If Eala avoids an upset against Valentova in the second round, she will advance to the quarter-finals, where she could meet China’s Wang Xinyu. The world number 38 won their first match at the ASB Classic in January, before the Filipina took her revenge in Rome. With their head-to-head level at 1-1, it’s tough to call who would be the favourite to emerge victorious if they were to meet in Hong Kong.
Looking ahead, Eala could play Greek star Maria Sakkari in the semis. Sakkari is a former WTA 1000 champion, winning the Guadalajara Open in 2023, and remains a dangerous opponent.
Then, in the final, she could face the retiring Sorana Cirstea. The Romanian confirmed her plans to retire earlier this year, before enjoying the best season of her professional career. Now 36, Cirstea sits at a career-high of 15th.
- 1R [WIN] vs (WTA #132) Emerson Jones
- 2R vs (WTA #85) Tereza Valentova
- QF vs (WTA #38) Wang Xinyu
- SF vs (WTA #30) Maria Sakkari
- F vs (WTA #15) Sorana Cirstea
Only time will tell if Eala can outlast those players listed above to win her second title of the year and her first in Asia. The 2026 Hong Kong Open final will be contested on Sunday, November 8. Canada’s Victoria Mboko won the title 12 months ago, defeating Cristina Bucsa in the championship match.
