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Eala & Andreeva Stunned as Other Rising Stars Shine in Singapore

Two of the tournament’s biggest stars lost earlier than expected, but plenty of young talent will be showcased in the Singapore Open semifinals.
Christian Basnight|
Alexandra Eala acknowledges the crowd after losing her third-round match against Iva Jovic of the U.S. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Alexandra Eala acknowledges the crowd after losing her third-round match against Iva Jovic of the U.S. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz | REUTERS

Alex Eala was a heavy favorite to reach her second WTA final of 2026 at the Singapore Tennis Open, now in its first year as a WTA 500. After No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova withdrew, Eala was the only top-30 player remaining in the bottom half of the draw. 

Eala Suffers Surprise Early Exit

The Filipina fan favorite was five points from the quarterfinal, leading Tatiana Prozorova 6-4, 4-2 with a break point to take a 5-2 lead. But the World No. 180 rallied back to clinch a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win in three hours and nine minutes. 

The feat marked Prozorova’s maiden top-40 victory, with the 22-year-old boasting just two career tour-level wins before this week. 

Prozorova Withdraws After Quarterfinal Win

The breakout player earned another top-40 scalp on Friday, defeating Xinyu Wang 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to reach her first WTA semifinal.

Unfortunately, Prozorova's Cinderella run in Singapore ended early. The Russian player suffered a head injury during her doubles quarterfinal alongside countrywoman Sofya Lansere.

The pair were forced to retire down 7-5, 5-2 against Miyu Kato and Ellen Perez after Kato hit an overhead that struck Prozorova in the head. The 22-year-old withdrew from her singles semifinal hours later, citing a head injury.

Gibson Sinks Sakkari and Reaches First WTA Final

Prozorova's withdrawal gives 22-year-old Talia Gibson a walkover into Sunday's final. The Aussie defeated No. 7 seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to reach her maiden tour-level semifinal. 

Gibson, who started the season ranked 118th, will make her top-50 debut on Monday and could ascend to World No. 33 if she wins the title. Prozorova will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 123 next week.

Fernandez Takes Down Andreeva Again 

Fans in Singapore will still get to enjoy a semifinal featuring two talented 24-year-old lefties. 

Leylah Fernandez reached her first semifinal of the season with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over top seed Mirra Andreeva.

The Canadian, who also defeated Andreeva last month in Toronto, saved two break points at 1-1 in the opening set before storming to a 6-2, 5-2 lead. 

Andreeva surged back to level the match at 5-5 in the second set, but the 19-year-old was ultimately undone by sloppy play and committed 41 total unforced errors to 12 winners. 

Andreeva also struggled on serve throughout the 93-minute encounter. The World No. 5, who was broken six times, won just 39% of points behind her second serve.   

Chwalinska Closes in on Top-20 Debut 

The sixth-seeded Fernandez next takes on Roland Garros finalist Maja Chwalinska, who defeated defending champion Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-2. 

Mertens was playing her first singles match of the week after receiving a first-round bye and a second-round walkover from Barbora Krejcikova

The 89-minute triumph marks Chwalinska’s first top-20 victory. The No. 5 seed is one win away from cracking the top-20 herself, as a victory over Fernandez would put her at No. 19 in the live rankings. 

Fernandez is the only remaining player to have won a WTA title, lifting five tour-level winners’ trophies. 

What's Next for Andreeva & Eala

Andreeva will look to rebound next week at the China Open, a WTA 1000-level tournament. 

Eala chose to skip Beijing and will instead head to Japan for the 2026 Asian Games, which begin Sunday. As the top seed, the Filipina will earn a berth in the 2028 LA Olympics if she takes gold at the Asian Games.

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Christian Basnight
CHRISTIAN BASNIGHT

Christian Basnight is a tennis journalist and former collegiate player at Washington and Lee University, where he earned a double major in journalism and business. Through his platform, “Christian’s Court,” Christian has built a digital audience of over 80,000 across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, where he covers tennis across a wide range of topics, including match analysis, player interviews, fashion, results, and broader social and cultural conversations within the sport. He aims to grow the game’s reach across all demographics, with a particular focus on engaging the next generation of tennis fans.

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