Liu wins nine straight games against Eala for first WTA title in Hong Kong
World No. 102 Claire Liu beat second seed Alexandra Eala 6-3, 6-0 in 1 hour 34 minutes in the Hong Kong final on Sunday, winning the last nine games after trailing by a break in the opening set. The 26-year-old American, beaten in her only previous final in Rabat in 2022, did not drop a set all week.
Claire Liu, Hong Kong 2026 | © Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open 2026
Claire Liu of the United States won the last nine games of the Hong Kong final on Sunday, beating second seed Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 6-3, 6-0 in 1 hour 34 minutes to claim the first WTA title of her career.
Ranked No. 102, Liu trailed by a break early in the opening set before taking control. She will be World No.69 in 24 hours.
Liu’s only previous final, in Rabat in 2022, ended in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat by Martina Trevisan. She did not drop a set all week at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open. She had also beaten Eala in their previous meeting, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in Guangzhou in October 2025.
How Liu beat Eala
Eala broke for 2-1, but Liu broke straight back. From 3-3, the American won nine games in a row, breaking for 5-3 and taking the set on her second set point.
The second set turned in its opening game, where Eala saved four break points before Liu converted the fifth. Liu then saved three break points to hold for 2-0, and Eala did not win another game.
Liu’s serve carried the final. She landed 88 percent of her first serves and dropped serve only once. Eala found only 48 percent of her first serves, served four double faults and held twice in seven service games.
Liu’s week in Hong Kong
Liu beat Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova 6-2, 6-4, eighth seed Katie Boulter of Great Britain 7-5, 6-4, Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez 6-1, 6-4 and Russian qualifier Alexandra Shubladze 7-5, 6-4 on her way to the final.
Eala, who beat fourth seed Maria Sakkari 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in 2 hours 43 minutes on Saturday, was playing the third final of her career. She will make her top 15 debut, according to the tournament.
Liu’s path to the title
First round: d. Tatiana Prozorova (Q) 6-2, 6-4
Second round: d. Katie Boulter (8) 7-5, 6-4
Quarter-final: d. Zeynep Sonmez 6-1, 6-4
Semi-final: d. Alexandra Shubladze (Q) 7-5, 6-4
Final: d. Alexandra Eala (2) 6-3, 6-0
Eala’s path to the final
First round: d. Emerson Jones (LL) 6-4, 6-3
Second round: d. Tereza Valentova 6-4, 7-6 (7)
Quarter-final: d. Antonia Ruzic 7-6 (7), 7-5
Semi-final: d. Maria Sakkari (4) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
Final: lost to Claire Liu 6-3, 6-0
