Alex Eala beat Chinese Taipei's Joanna Garland 7-5, 6-0 in the Asian Games women's singles quarterfinals on Wednesday at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, guaranteeing herself at least a bronze medal.
The world No. 18 had to dig out of trouble first. Garland, ranked No. 143, went ahead 4-3 and then held set point at 5-4, GMA News reports.
Eala saved it and won three straight games. She closed the 10th game with a forehand winner, forced back-to-back errors for 6-5, then held for 7-5.
"In the second set, she became untouchable," Philstar wrote. Eala raced to 4-0 and blanked Garland in the fifth game. The final game went to three deuces before two Garland return errors sealed it.
By reaching the final four, Eala is assured of a medal. Next up is China's Wang Xiyu, who beat Japan's Moyuka Uchijima 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 earlier in the day.
A win would put Eala in the final with a chance to become the first Filipina to win a tennis gold medal at the Asian Games.
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