Tennis: Alex Eala survives tough Ruzic challenge to make Hong Kong Open semis

(UPDATED) Alex Eala overcame a tough challenge from Croatian Antonia Ruzic to advance to the semifinals of the Hong Kong Tennis Open, 7-6(7), 7-5, on Friday evening.

She will face Greek Maria Sakkari in the Final Four, where a finals berth is at stake.

“It was a rollercoaster for sure and incredible battle. I don’t know what inspired me and kept me to continue, but Antonia played a relly amazing match. I’m blessed to be able to play another round here,” said Eala after her grueling two-hour, 30-minute intense battle against Ruzic.

In the first set, Eala repeated her tie-break result against Tereza Valentova — she led comfortably at 5-0, only for it to slip away, as Ruzic came eventually came within one, 5-4.

The Croatian suffered a double fault that paused her surge for a bit, 6-4, but Eala committed errors, firing shots into the net that knotted the match, 6-6.

Ruzic even had a 7-6 edge, but Eala was composed. She nailed a massive return and a forehand winner to take the nerve-wracking set for a 1-0 lead.

Before that, earlier in the opener, Eala and Ruzic traded holds, — with the Filipina not letting up a single point on serve — until the fifth game for a 3-2 count.

The seventh game was a thriller, with both players enduring multiple deuces that eventually went the way of the opposition, as Ruzic converted on her seventh break point, 4-3.

Eala broke Ruzic back, 4-4, with the final point being a tremendous return, as they exchanged games which led to the tie-break.

In Set 2, Eala had a 4-3 lead before play was suspended due to rain. When it resumed, it was Ruzic who came out firing, flipping the switch with back-to-back games for a 5-4 lead and sit on the driver’s seat for the first time that frame. 

Eala held in the 10th game and eventually broke Ruzic to serve for the match, 6-5. The 21-year-old Pinay finally got the job done, relying on her service game to wrap up the match. 

“A few adjustments will be made, to be decided in a few hours so for now just some rest,” said Eala as she looks forward to her semis encounter against Sakkari.