MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala might have settled for the bronze medal in the women’s tennis competition of the 19th Asian Games, but she did not do so without putting up a fight.
World No. 23 Qinwen Zheng of China survived the 190-ranked Eala, 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 Thursday in a thrilling three-setter that took over three hours.
Zheng took the first set, 6-1, after the Filipina won the first game.
The local looked like she was about to smoothly go to the finals of the tournament after going up 5-2 in the second set.
But Eala mustered all her strength and resiliency, forcing a tiebreak after knotting the set at 6-6.
Eala secured the second set after Zheng was not able to return Eala’s hit, 7-6(5).
The Filipina then forced the Chinese tennister to her first third set in the Asiad.
Eala, however, ran out of gas in the final set.
She went up 3-1 in the third set, but Zheng was just too much for the Filipina, not allowing her to get another game.
Eala’s return to Zheng’s hit went out as the hometown bet went to the finals.
The Filipina ace thus ended her amazing Asiad debut with a podium finish.
Eala is not yet done though as she’s set to play in the mixed tennis quarterfinals also on Thursday, teaming up with Francis Alcantara against Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum and Maximus Jones.