Wang Xiyu Defeats Eala, Wins Asian Games Gold and Olympic Berth
Thestandard · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
China's Wang Xiyu delivered a stunning comeback to eliminate Philippines top seed Alexandra Eala from the Asian Games women's singles competition on Thursday, then captured gold the following day by defeating compatriot Zhang Shuai in a one-sided final at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya .
The 25-year-old world No. 85 overcame a sluggish start to beat Eala 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in two hours and 34 minutes, recovering from a 5-0 first-set deficit to stun the tournament favourite . Wang then breezed past Zhang 6-2, 6-1 in just 66 minutes to claim the title and an automatic berth at the Los Angeles Olympics .
Key Points
- World No. 18 Alexandra Eala, who skipped the China Open to compete in Nagoya, was aiming to become the first Filipino woman to win Asian Games gold before her semi-final defeat
- Wang Xiyu showed remarkable resilience, erasing a 5-0 first-set deficit against Eala before winning 12 of the final 15 games
- In the final, Wang dominated veteran Zhang Shuai (world No. 57) with a 6-2, 6-1 victory in 66 minutes
- The 37-year-old Zhang, a multiple Grand Slam doubles champion, earned her second Asian Games singles silver after also finishing runner-up in 2018
- Eala settled for bronze, matching her result from the 2022 Hangzhou Games where she also won bronze in mixed doubles
Why It Matters
Wang's victory ensures China will have a strong contender in women's singles at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while her triumph over Eala underscores the unpredictable nature of elite tennis where rankings do not guarantee results . For the Philippines, Eala's semi-final exit means the nation will have to wait longer for its first Asian Games women's singles gold, despite her growing status as a national sports icon following her historic WTA Tour title last month .
Wang's victory ensures China will have a strong contender in women's singles at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while her triumph over Eala underscores the unpredictable nature of elite tennis where rankings do not guarantee results . For the Philippines, Eala's semi-final exit means the nation will have to wait longer for its first Asian Games women's singles gold, despite her growing status as a national sports icon following her historic WTA Tour title last month .