Alex Eala moved closer to securing the tennis gold medal at the Asian Games and with it a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after reaching the semifinals on Wednesday in Nagoya, Japan. She defeated Joanna Garland of Taiwan 7-5, 6-0, setting up a clash with China’s Wang Xiyu on Thursday. The winner will advance to Friday’s final.
Eala said representing the Philippines at the Olympics is a dream. “The Olympics is a dream for me to be able to compete there, to represent my country,” she said. “So, yeah, let’s see how it goes.”
At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Eala earned bronze medals in singles and mixed doubles alongside Francis Alcantara. This time, she is among the favorites for gold, which would grant her automatic qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Her participation in the Asian Games came at a cost. Eala withdrew from the China Open in Beijing, a mandatory WTA 1000 event, to compete for her country. This decision could lead to a $10,000 fine, although she said she had not received any official notice from the WTA regarding a penalty.
“I want to say that it’s easy for people to relate to wanting to represent their country and wanting to play these types of Olympic Games,” Eala said. She mentioned other players had recognized the conflict and expressed support for her choice.
One such player is China’s Zhang Shuai, ranked No. 57 on the WTA list, who commented on the scheduling clash. Eala is ranked No. 18. Zhang said, “It is incredible that the two competitions are in the same weeks. Some of the previous competitions have been like this. Last week, the Billie Jean King Cup was in the same week as the Singapore and Seoul competitions.”
She added, “That’s life. If two things are very important to you, or if they’re both very important tournaments, you can choose one of them.”
Eala has made her choice and is pursuing gold at the Asian Games, aiming for the Olympic berth that comes with it. Her semifinal opponent Wang Xiyu is a strong contender, and the match will determine who reaches the final on Friday.
According to Yahoo Sports.