Eala cruises into Asian Games quarters as PH tennis campaign gains momentum

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 29, 2026

Photo courtesy: Daily Guardian

NAGOYA, Japan — Alex Eala opened her 2026 Asian Games campaign in commanding fashion, sweeping Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, 6-1, 6-0, to reach the women’s singles quarterfinals on Monday.

The world No. 18 Filipina entered the tournament as the top seed and received a first-round bye before facing Cheapchandej in the Round of 16. Rain disrupted the schedule and forced the match onto a smaller indoor court at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center, but Eala quickly settled into the conditions.

Eala raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set before Cheapchandej briefly responded with a service break. The Filipina immediately regained control, taking the next two games to close out the first set, 6-1. 

She then dominated the second set, shutting out the Thai player, 6-0, to secure a place in the final eight. 

The victory also extended Eala’s advantage over Cheapchandej. The two previously met at the ITF W25 Chiang Rai in 2022, where Eala also won in straight sets on her way to the title. 

Eala will next face Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei, currently ranked No. 143 in the world, for a place in the semifinals. Garland reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set in her first two matches of the tournament. 

The quarterfinal will mark the first meeting between Eala and Garland in a WTA-level match. 

Eala is seeking to improve on her previous Asian Games campaign, where she won bronze medals in both women’s singles and mixed doubles. 

The Philippine women’s tennis team also picked up another victory through Stefi Aludo and Tennielle Madis, who defeated Indonesia’s Anjali Junarto and Meydiana Reinnamah, 6-3, 7-6(4), in the first round of women’s doubles. 

Eala is also competing in doubles and is set to partner with Shaira Rivera against Hong Kong’s Ching Laam Lai and Kallista Liu in the Round of 32. 

With her singles quarterfinal berth secured and doubles competition still ahead, Eala remains at the center of the Philippines’ medal push in tennis at the Nagoya Asian Games.