Alex Eala lit up the courts of the WTA 125 Jingshan Tennis Open on Friday, overpowering China’s Jia-Jung Lu, 6-4, 6-1, to punch her ticket to the semifinals.
The 20-year-old Filipina, top seed in the USD160,000 tournament, didn’t have it all her way early on. Lu, the seasoned 35-year-old from China, broke serve and jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the opening set, threatening to rattle Eala’s rhythm.
But the young ace responded like a champion—flipping a switch and reeling off four straight games with laser-focused precision to take the set.
From there, it was one-way traffic. Lu held serve to start the second, but that was her last moment of control. Eala locked in, smothering returns and moving with purpose. Her shots found the corners. Her footwork looked like choreography.
The mostly pro-Lu crowd, which had nearly filled the grandstand in hopes of witnessing an upset, began to thin out after the first set—realizing they weren’t watching a close contest, but a player in Alex Eala who was firmly in control of every rally, every point, every moment.
Eala’s first serve was dialed in—landing 76 percent of the time and keeping Lu on the defensive. Though Lu had a slight edge on second serve points (41 percent to Eala’s 35 percent), she simply couldn’t match the Filipina’s firepower or composure.
Break points told the deeper story: Eala carved out 11 chances and cashed in on five; Lu had six and managed just two. Eala also won 60 of the match’s 107 points, a quiet but clear domination.
This win keeps Eala’s record spotless in Jingshan—she’s yet to drop a set. Up next: a semifinal clash with Lulu Sun of New Zealand.
Fresh off her historic WTA title in Guadalajara, Eala is playing with the swagger of someone who knows she belongs. Her game is sharp, her confidence contagious, and her momentum unmistakable.
If she continues at this level, Jingshan might just be another milestone in a season already turning into something special.
