Filipino tennis star Alex Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open after securing a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over Tereza Valentova at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium.
The world No. 17 needed nearly two hours of intense play to overcome Valentova in their Round of 16 match on Thursday, marking her first career singles win against the Czech player after two previous defeats.
Exhaustion comes with the territory of competing at the highest level on the WTA Tour, Eala told reporters during her post-match press conference.
Embracing the Physical Toll of Professional Tennis
Facing high-caliber opponents who match her competitive drive requires total physical and mental investment, according to the 20-year-old athlete.
“Being tired is a blessing,” Eala said. “When you face opponents like Tereza and opponents who are just as motivated and just as ‘ganado’ as you to win, you’ll give everything that you have physically and mentally.”
When a reporter observed that she appeared visibly fatigued during the grueling two-hour encounter, Eala responded with a lighthearted quip about the late-night press schedule.
“Mukha din po kayong pagod eh. Are you tired? Oh, you should rest,” she said.
AMAZING WIN FROM ALEX EALA!!!!! I AM SO PROUD!!!!! Now, take this Hong Kong Open!!! 🔥🔥🔥💖💖💖 pic.twitter.com/RXs03J42oc
Beyond the momentary exhaustion, Eala stressed that persistent fatigue is simply the cost of admission for building a career at the elite level of international tennis.
“Ultimately, I’m an athlete. So I get tired. I recover. And then I go back and I do it again,” Eala stated. “It’s a constant effort to do it again and again and again and again, no matter whether you’re tired or you feel like you can climb Mount Everest.”
Quarterfinal Matchup Scheduled for Friday
With her breakthrough victory secured, Eala turns her focus toward the next round of the tournament.
She continues her Hong Kong Open campaign against Antonia Ruzic on Friday.
