Alexandra Eala’s Raw Confession After Hong Kong Open Thriller

Alexandra Eala made a powerful admission after her nerve-racking victory over Tereza Valentova at the 2026 Hong Kong Tennis Open.

The 21-year-old Filipino needed four match points to close out the Round of 16 clash.

She finally prevailed 6-4, 7-6(7) after one hour and 54 minutes.

Eala entered the contest trailing Valentova 0-2 in their head-to-head record.

The Czech teenager had beaten her at the 2025 Japan Women's Open.

Valentova also defeated her at the 2026 Qatar Open.

This was their third meeting on tour.

Eala started strongly in Hong Kong, taking the first set 6-4 after recovering from a 4-4 scoreline.

The second set proved considerably more challenging.

Valentova built a 4-2 lead and later had the opportunity to serve for the set at 5-3.

Eala fought back to force a tiebreak, where she raced to a 5-0 advantage.

But Valentova refused to give in.

She saved two match points at 6-4 and another at 7-6 before Eala finally converted her fourth opportunity to seal the win 9-7.

Speaking after the match, Eala opened up about the mindset that helped her survive the tense moments.

Reflecting on the victory and the opportunity to continue playing in her final tournament of the year, Eala said: "It's very fulfilling and very motivational to get to play another match this year, have another chance to do better."

Eala's response to the pressure was perhaps the most revealing part of her post-match interview.

With Valentova repeatedly denying her the opportunity to finish the contest, the Filipino knew she had to remain patient and keep believing another chance would come.

Asked what she told herself during those moments, Eala explained: "Just to try get one more. The chances will come. If you work for that, they will come again."

The 21-year-old was also asked whether her heart was beating faster as she waited to convert her match points.

Eala admitted that closing out matches never becomes easy, regardless of the situation.

"Of course, it never really gets any easier," Eala said.

"It's always very difficult because there is always a chance to win, there's always a chance to lose."

Eala saved nine of ten break points in the opening set before finally breaking through at love in the tenth game to take it 6-4 against the 19-year-old talent from Prague.

The feisty Filipina then rallied twice from a break down in the second set and finally converted her fourth match point to clinch a hard-fought win and a spot in the Hong Kong quarterfinals.

"It was so tough. It was really, really tough," Eala said.

"I think Tereza played incredibly, and we were able to bring the match to a really high level. And I think that was reflected with all of the scores."

"I'm really happy with that win. I think I escaped by a little bit," she added.

No. 85-ranked Valentova entered Thursday's clash with a 2-0 record against Eala, despite being 68 spots behind the 21-year-old in the rankings.

"You don't go into battle without a plan," Eala said.

"Of course, the previous two meetings were super difficult, so I knew it was going to be a tough battle."

"I just tried to be better than the previous time that we met," she said.

Valentova shook off the disappointment of dropping the first set and served for the second set at 5-4, but she ran into a wall there as well.

Eala, with heavy strapping around her right knee and upper leg, used her forehand to earn two break points, and broke to level at 5-all on the next point.

Eala led 5-1 in the tiebreak before Valentova fought back to 6-all, saving two match points.

She saved another at 6-7, but could not avoid defeat on a fourth.

How did Eala manage to keep her cool in such a tense contest?

"I don't really know. I think it was a long second set, long tiebreak for sure, but just focusing on the next point," Eala said.

In the end, Valentova converted three of her 12 break points and hit 29 winners.

Eala converted all four of her break points and hit 18 winners in the one-hour, 56-minute contest.

Eala joins top-seeded Sorana Cirstea and No. 4 seed Maria Sakkari in the last eight of the 250-level event.

She will face Croatia's Antonia Ruzic next in the quarterfinals.

Cirstea took out Mary Stoiana, 7-5, 6-1.

Zeynep Sonmez also advanced, defeating Mika Stojsavljevic 7-6(5), 6-4.

Another win in Hong Kong will vault Eala ahead of Naomi Osaka and into a career-high position at No. 16 in the world.

The victory was particularly significant for Eala, who had entered the contest trailing Valentova 0-2 in their head-to-head record.

The WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Open is being played at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium.

Eala is the second seed in the tournament.

She is currently ranked No. 19 in the world.

A career-high ranking of No. 16 would be a major milestone for the Filipino star.