Eala formalizes Asian Games medal in comeback win over Garland

It may have looked like a sweep on paper, but Alex Eala had to grind through to reach the semifinal round of the 20th Asian Games women’s singles tennis tournament.

On Sept. 30, 2026, the 21-year-old Filipina ace survived an early eruption from Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland, 7-5, 6-0, and guaranteed the PHL delegation at least a bronze medal after the quarterfinal win at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, Japan.

Despite committing several unforced errors while squandering a series of game leads, Eala still found a way to regain her footing in the most crucial stretch of the first set, coming back from a 4-5 deficit to frustrate Garland.

It was a shaky start for Eala as Garland’s consistent serves and deep groundstrokes posed huge problems midway through the opener.

Unlike her lopsided win against Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, Eala found her match in Garland, who didn’t back down from the challenge of going up against the WTA’s current world No. 18-ranked female netter.

Garland had her moments and moved a set away from taking a 1-0 upset advantage, but Eala displayed poise under pressure, sweeping the last three games with a much-needed break in the 10th game followed by a convincing hold.

It was a nip-and-tuck affair throughout the first set, with Garland flaunting her raw power and serve variations to immediately settle into the quarterfinal showdown.

On the other hand, Eala’s sloppy start prevented her from grabbing control of the set after letting two 40-15 leads in the second and eighth games slip away.

Calm, collected and composed, Eala woke up and delivered in the clutch, turning the tide with a hold in the ninth game, backstopped by a 2-0 run to roar back and notch the much-needed 1-0 lead.

All hell broke loose in the second set as the laser-focused Eala started to run over Garland, hitting sharp down-the-line winners while dominating the net with efficient forehand attacks.

It was like Garland ran into an immovable wall.

Garland’s powerful groundstrokes that landed at will in the first set were handled perfectly by Eala. A timely adjustment to take the ball earlier on the rise became the difference-maker, helping the young Pinay zoom to a commanding 4-0 lead.

Needing only two more games to claim the win, Eala smelled blood in the fifth and sixth games, pummeling Garland with her signature backhand winners while ramping up her first-serve percentage, including a rare ace.

An exhausted Garland then committed a barrage of errors, handing Eala the semifinal spot with a groundstroke miscue on the left side.

With a medal already locked in, Eala boosted her chances of becoming the first Filipina to win an Asian Games women’s singles gold medal.

Two more wins to go. LEX GO, ALEX!