(Credit - Agence France-Presse)
Claire Liu Sweeps Hong Kong Final as Alex Eala Caps Breakout Year
American Claire Liu defeated second seed Alex Eala 6-3, 6-0 to claim the Hong Kong Open women’s singles title at Victoria Park on November 8, 2026. Tennis fans and international observers watched as the 21-year-old Filipino trailblazer completed a breakout season despite falling short of a second career tour trophy.
Unseeded Claire Liu Claims Maiden WTA Title in Straight-Set Victory
World number 102 Liu broke serve in the eighth game of the opening set before sweeping the second, completing the week without dropping a set. Eala required medical treatment for her right knee during the first set and finished the match with heavy strapping on her leg.
The defeat caps a season that saw Eala rise from a ranking of 50th at the start of the year to world number 17, with a further climb to 15 set for next week.
The Hong Kong run follows Eala’s milestone victory in Washington DC in August, where she became the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour title.
