Eala defeats Sakkari in rain-delayed semifinal to reach Hong Kong final

Alexandra Eala advanced to the Hong Kong Open final on Saturday with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Maria Sakkari in a rain-interrupted semifinal at Victoria Park Centre Court. The match lasted 2 hours and 43 minutes, with multiple weather stoppages affecting play throughout, particularly during the second set. Despite the interruptions, Eala maintained composure and focus, converting two crucial break points in the deciding set to secure her place in the championship match.

Eala's path to the final showcased her resilience across all three sets. She dominated the opening set after breaking Sakkari's serve at love, but Sakkari fought back with consecutive breaks to lead 5-4 before Eala reeled off three consecutive games to take the set. The second set saw Sakkari establish early control with a 3-0 lead before rain delays disrupted momentum repeatedly. Sakkari held firm to force a decider, where Eala surged ahead 4-1 only to see Sakkari mount another comeback to level at 4-4. Eala ultimately prevailed when Sakkari's backhand went into the net on what would have been a break point for the Greek player.

In the other semifinal, American Claire Liu reached her first WTA Tour final since 2022 by defeating Alexandra Shubladze 7-5, 6-4 in 1 hour and 58 minutes. Liu has not dropped a set in the tournament, advancing through victories over Tatiana Prozorova, Katie Boulter, Zeynep Sonmez, and Shubladze. The 26-year-old California native, ranked 102nd, will face Eala in Sunday's final. The two players have met once previously, with Liu rallying from a set down to win in Guangzhou the prior year.

Eala's victory marks her third career WTA Tour final and second of 2026, following her triumph at the DC Open in August. The 21-year-old second-seeded Filipina improved to 40-24 on the season, with 29 of her wins coming on hard court. By reaching the final regardless of Sunday's outcome, Liu is projected to return to the WTA top 80 rankings after entering the week just outside the top 100. A championship would represent Liu's first WTA Tour hard-court final victory, though she did capture a WTA 125 title in Barranquilla on the surface in September.