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Asian Champions of the Hong Kong Open: Alex Eala Falls Short in 2026 Final

On Sunday, Alex Eala's progress at the Hong Kong Open came to an unexpected halt. She faced Claire Liu, ranked 102nd globally, who dominated the final with a 6-3, 6-0 win. This victory will boost Liu's ranking by more than 30 spots.

The match was tight early on, with both players tied at 3-3 in the first set, but Liu then surged ahead, winning nine straight games and securing her second title of 2026.

Changes in WTA Rankings After the Final

  • Alex Eala: Moves up two places to world number 15
  • Claire Liu: Climbs 33 spots to rank 69th

Despite her strong tournament showing, Eala missed the chance to join the small group of Asian players who have claimed the Hong Kong Open singles crown.

Asian Winners of the Hong Kong Open

The first Asian to win the Hong Kong Open was the Indian tennis great Ramesh Krishnan. In 1986, he defeated Ecuador’s Andres Gomez in a three-set match, 7–6, 6–0, 7–5. Krishnan was a former world number 23 and reached the quarter-finals of Grand Slams three times.

Seven years later, Wang Shi-ting became the first Asian woman to claim the title, beating American Marianne Witmeyer 6–4, 3–6, 7–5 in 1993. Wang won six WTA titles in her career and reached a peak ranking of 26.

Fans waited another 33 years for the third Asian champion at this event. Earlier in 2026, Alexander Bublik broke the dry spell by defeating former world number five Lorenzo Musetti 7-6, 6-3 to take the title. This win marked Bublik’s ninth career title and pushed him into the world’s top 10.

Hong Kong Open Asian Champions

  • 1986: Ramesh Krishnan beat Andres Gomez 7–6, 6–0, 7–5
  • 1993: Wang Shi-ting defeated Marianne Witmeyer 6–4, 3–6, 7–5
  • 2026: Alexander Bublik overcame Lorenzo Musetti 7-6, 6-3
"The only goal for this season was to reach the Top 10, and in the first week I won the title and got there," Bublik said after his victory. "If you had told me that last April, I wouldn't have believed you. But it feels great, and I hope to keep this momentum going."

Alex Eala’s Journey in the 2026 Hong Kong Open

  • First round: defeated Emerson Jones 6-4, 6-3
  • Second round: defeated Tereza Valentova 6-4, 7-6
  • Quarter-finals: defeated Antonia Ruzic 7-6, 7-5
  • Semi-finals: defeated Maria Sakkari 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
  • Final: lost to Claire Liu 3-6, 0-6

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