Eala, Shang slip in Macau Tennis Masters mixed doubles

Filipina tennis standout Alexandra “Alex” Eala and China’s Jerry Shang fell in straight sets on Saturday after an unusual late change turned their MGM Macau Tennis Masters mixed doubles matchup into a lighthearted contest against two male opponents.

Eala and Shang lost to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and China’s Yibing Wu, 7–5, 7(7)–6(1), in the exhibition event.

The pairing was originally slated to face Wu and world No. 9 Mirra Andreeva, but Andreeva was forced to withdraw because of illness, prompting organizers to reshuffle the lineup.

With Andreeva out, Eala and Shang ended up playing what amounted to a mixed-format exhibition against Davidovich Fokina and Wu, a switch that drew attention because Eala had prepared for a conventional mixed doubles setup.

The match stayed tight from the start, with both teams trading holds and keeping the score level early in the opening set.

In the first set, the score was tied at 1-all and 3-all before Wu and Davidovich Fokina edged ahead late and closed it out, 7–5.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with the score again knotted at 1-all, 3-all and 5-all as neither side could build a decisive gap.

The set eventually reached 6-all, sending the match to a tiebreak with Eala and Shang trying to force a deciding set.

Wu and Davidovich Fokina sealed the win in straight sets by taking the tiebreak, finishing the second set 7(7)–6(1).

Asked after the match whether the mixed doubles format could be used in official tour competition, Eala answered with a laugh: “I think maybe it was more fun for me than it was for Jerry.”

Eala was scheduled to return to the court in singles action on Sunday, when she is set to face Andreeva in the women’s singles event, pending Andreeva’s recovery from the illness that forced her out of Saturday’s doubles.

Earlier in the day, Davidovich Fokina also beat Shang in the men’s singles contest, 7–6, 7–5.

The MGM Macau Tennis Masters is an exhibition event and is not part of the WTA calendar, which means results do not count toward official tour rankings even as players use the setting to tune up for the coming season.

Exhibition stops like Macau often allow organizers to experiment with formats, including mixed pairings and entertainment elements, while giving athletes match reps without the pressure and workload of a full tour week.

For Eala, the Macau event also marks a return to action late in the year following her historic campaign in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, where she won a gold medal in the women’s singles.

Eala has drawn increased attention in 2025 as one of the Philippines’ most visible tennis prospects, with her appearances closely tracked by Filipino fans watching her progress on the international stage.