Eala and Chong ride Hong Kong’s fervent waves
Amid the electric hum of Victoria Park, Alexandra Eala channels crowd love into a gritty opener win, while Eudice Chong’s bold strokes etch a historic mark for local tennis, setting the stage for rising rivalries on these hard courts.
In the sticky heat of Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Alexandra Eala carved out a tense opener at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, her steady baseline game pushing last year’s runner-up Katie Boulter to the brink. The pair traded heavy forehands crosscourt, with Eala’s drop shots teasing the net cord and Boulter firing angled passes down-the-line, until a left leg injury forced the Briton to retire at 6-4, 2-1. This victory, though bittersweet, handed the 20-year-old Filipina a path forward amid a season thick with breakthroughs and fatigue.
Crowd energy reignites pure joy
The stadium pulsed with fervor, largely from Filipino supporters—Hong Kong’s largest ethnic minority—who filled the stands with flags, signs, and vibrant fan art for their breakout star. Eala, returning to the territory for the first time since age 12, drew psychological fuel from the roars, easing the weight of her Miami semifinal run in March that had thrust her into the spotlight. Her movement sharpened under the cheers, allowing underspin slices to skid low and disrupt Boulter’s footing on the medium-paced hard courts.
For a sense of the tournament’s unfolding drama, follow the Scores, Draws, and Order of play.
“I feel so at home and I feel so much love,” Eala said afterwards. “it’s such a full circle moment to play here again. So many things have changed since then, but my love for tennis and how much fun I have on court have stayed the same.”
Chong’s aggression sparks local milestone
Across the courts, wild card Eudice Chong unleashed clean, forceful ball-striking to topple Suzan Lamens 6-3, 6-4, securing her first victory over a top-100 opponent and igniting the home crowd. The 29-year-old, a Wesleyan University graduate ranked No. 632 after hitting a career high of No. 213 in 2022, stepped inside the baseline to hammer inside-out forehands, pinning her foe deep and finishing points with net rushes. This triumph marked the first WTA main-draw win for a Hongkonger since Zhang Ling in Guangzhou 2014, and the event’s first home success since Suzie Holm reached the second round in 1980.
Chong’s shift to bolder patterns contrasted her prior wild-card runs here, including a single set taken in her 2018 debut against Christina McHale; the hard court’s grippy bounce amplified her topspin drives, shortening rallies and turning defensive lobs into opportunities for down-the-line winners. Family and friends in the stands amplified her resolve, transforming a season of rankings struggles into a moment of validation for Hong Kong’s budding tennis scene. She revealed post-match that the growing fan momentum, bolstered by the HKCTA’s development efforts, has inspired both her and emerging local talents.
“I played more aggressively today than previously and I think that was a big factor in the win,” Chong said. “The support of the fans along with playing in front of family and friends makes this very special. The momentum for tennis here is on the rise, with more fans coming along than ever before. The HKCTA has done a tremendous job of developing tournament tennis here providing an experience which has inspired me, along with the many new up-and-coming young local players.”
Rising stars test tactical depths
Eala now braces for a marquee clash with No. 3 seed Victoria Mboko, a 2025 sensation whose explosive serves and versatile groundstrokes promise a baseline battle on these true-bouncing hard courts. Their professional debut builds on junior history, where Eala dominated 6-1, 7-6(5) in the 2022 US Open girls’ semifinals en route to the title, using defensive depth to counter power and set up crosscourt counters. Mboko’s high-risk 1–2 patterns will challenge Eala’s poise, but the Filipina’s touch—mixing drop shots with steady forehand depth—could exploit any overcommitment, especially if she varies pace to keep the Canadian off-balance.
For Chong, this upset injects vital momentum into her rebuild, potentially vaulting her ranking and fueling the territory’s tennis surge with deeper crowd engagement. Both players’ paths highlight how home support can recalibrate a grueling tour, turning emotional highs into sharper focus for the rallies ahead. As Victoria Park’s energy lingers, these encounters could redefine underdog narratives on the WTA circuit.
