Alex Eala lost the Hong Kong Tennis Open final to American Claire Liu in straight sets on Sunday, ending her 2026 season as runner-up. Liu led a tight opening set, and Eala called a medical timeout to have her right knee taped after falling behind 4-3. Liu then took the last two games of the set. In the second set Liu won the long opening game despite saving seven game points, then won the next five games.
PHKTO2026 Singles Champion Claire Liu praised the tournament for creating an amazing environment, highlighting the warm hospitality and outstanding support that made every player feel welcome. She was especially delighted to claim her first WTA title here in Hong Kong! 💜
#PHKTO #PrudentialHongKong #DiscoverHongKong #WTA250 #HKCTA #HKTS #NextGenAces #GameOn #MajorSportsEventsCommittee #MSEC
— HongKong Tennis Open (@HKTennisOpen) November 8, 2026
The result made Liu the first American to win the Hong Kong Open. Eala had reached the final by beating Maria Sakkari 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the semifinals.
Eala handled the loss with grace. She congratulated Liu and thanked the organizers, physios and fans. In an post match interview, Alex Eala on tears. “This season has changed my life for the better and I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve put in this year. We’re the only ones who truly know what it took to arrive at this point in our journey. This is only the beginning.”
What’s next for Eala
The season is over. Hong Kong was her last tournament of 2026, a year with her first WTA 500 title in Washington and a second WTA 125 title in Birmingham. A title would have lifted her to a career-high ranking of 15. The focus now turns to the offseason and 2027.
