Alex Eala: Mental fortitude was key to win against Valentova - GMA Network

HONG KONG — Philippine pride Alexandra Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open (PHKTO 2026) after an intense battle against the Czech Republic's Tereza Valentová on Thursday night, November 5, at the Victoria Park Centre Court.

In her post-match press conference, Eala admitted she had to dig deep to grind through long, grueling rallies and a tense second-set tiebreak.

The 21-year-old said she came prepared, applying lessons learned from her previous two encounters with Valentova.

“You don't go into battle without a plan. Of course, the previous two meetings were super difficult, so I knew it was going to be a tough battle. I just tried to be better than the previous time that we met,” said Eala.

Fans online cheered that Eala's breakthrough victory proved that “third time's the charm,” echoing their head-to-head history where Eala had dropped both prior meetings in Osaka and Doha.

But Eala offered a different perspective.

“I don't necessarily think that it's because it's the third time. But I really tried to stay present, and it was proven very difficult, as you could all see,” she said.

Refining her approach for the third clash, Eala noted that “there were things that I deliberately tried to do differently tonight.”

Ultimately, the World No. 17 emphasized that mental fortitude was the deciding factor in securing the hard-fought win.

“That’s everyone’s goal… to try to improve every time they step onto court, right? I really did try to stay present, but it proved to be a little difficult. But I got through, and I think mental fortitude was the key in today’s match for me,” said Eala.

Eala and Valentová delivered a memorable contest, continually trading momentum back and forth in a fierce tug-of-war while earning and saving match points during the second-set tiebreak.

“I really had to fight through, especially with the chances that I had in the second set and to close out the match. So it took a lot of mental strength to do that, to be in the match, and to stay in the present. I'm really happy about it,” she said.

Centre Court was packed with a vibrant crowd of Filipino supporters who cheered passionately for Eala throughout the November 5 match.

That same thunderous backing is expected on Friday, November 6, as Eala takes on Croatia's Antonia Ružić in the tournament quarterfinals. — BAP, GMA News