# Claire Liu beats Alexandra Eala 6-3, 6-0 to win Hong Kong Open title _The American claimed her first WTA Tour singles title at Victoria Park on Sunday._ - Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in) - Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/claire-liu-beats-alexandra-eala-6-3-6-0-to-win-hong-kong-open-title - Author: Rohit, Sports writer (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/rohit) - Published: 2026-11-08T13:16:02.808Z - Section: Tennis - Topics: WTA Tour, Hong Kong Open, Claire Liu, Alexandra Eala ## Summary Claire Liu defeated Alexandra Eala in straight sets in the final of the Prudential Hong Kong Open on Sunday. Liu won her first WTA title without dropping a set all week. ## Key takeaways - Claire Liu won 6-3, 6-0 against Alexandra Eala - Liu claimed her maiden WTA Tour singles title at Victoria Park - Liu did not drop a set all week at the Hong Kong Open - Eala finished as runner-up in her third career WTA final ## Article Claire Liu of the United States won her first WTA Tour singles title by defeating No. 2 seed Alexandra Eala 6-3, 6-0 in the final of the Prudential Hong Kong Open on Sunday at Victoria Park. The American, ranked No. 102, completed the victory in one hour and 33 minutes without dropping a set all week. The match began with both players trading breaks early before they reached 3-3 in the opening set. Liu then seized control, breaking in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead. She squandered the first set point but converted the second to take the set 6-3. From 3-3, Liu reeled off nine consecutive games. Eala required medical attention on her right knee during the first set and continued with visible discomfort, finishing the match with heavy strapping on her right leg. Liu broke early in the second set after an attritional opening game, and the set quickly slipped away, ending in a 6-0 bagel. Liu’s run in Hong Kong was remarkably clean. She beat Tatiana Prozorova, Katie Boulter, Zeynep Sonmez and Alexandra Shubladze, all in straight sets, to reach the final. It was only her seventh main-draw appearance of the season. The result moves her back inside the world’s top 70 after she began the year ranked No. 221. Her career-high ranking remains No. 52, achieved in January 2023. The title is her second WTA final appearance after a runner-up finish in Rabat in 2022. This was also Liu’s second win over Eala in two career meetings; she had previously defeated the Filipino in three sets in the first round of Guangzhou last year. Alexandra Eala arrived in Hong Kong on the back of a breakthrough season that included a historic WTA 500 title in Washington DC. That victory made her the first player from the Philippines to win a tournament on the WTA Tour. The final marked her third career WTA Tour singles final, leaving her with a 1-2 record in championship matches. Sportstar reported Eala is at a career-high 17 in the world and set to rise to 15 next week. She started the year ranked 50th. After the match, Liu reflected on the tight moments that decided the contest. “I was thinking, just keep it close. Every game in that second set we both had game points or break points and I was just lucky enough to get the deciding point,” she said. She later added, “I mean it’s been four years since my last final so I am really happy to get this one. It’s just been such a great week, I’m speechless. The crowd was amazing and I really appreciate everyone for coming. I am going to go home and lay in bed for a week and not move and then I will have to train again. ” In her runner-up speech, Eala congratulated the winner and thanked those around her. “First and foremost I want to congratulate Claire on an amazing tournament. A great week and a great match, it was very well deserved. Congratulations,” she said. She continued, “Of course, last but not least, my team and my parents. My brother, my coach, and my two other coaches -- this season has changed my life. It has changed my life for the better, I am incredibly proud of the work we have put in this year. We are the only ones who truly knew what it took to arrive at this point in our journey. Thank you. So, so much. ” Eala dissolved into tears as she reflected on a “life-changing” season. “This season has changed my life; it’s changed my life for the better,” she told the crowd afterwards. Becoming emotional as she addressed her team in the stands, she said, “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve put in this year. We’re the only ones who truly know what it took to arrive at this point in our journey. ” The 2026 Hong Kong Tennis Open was the 13th edition of the tournament and part of the WTA 250 tournaments on the 2026 WTA Tour. It took place in Victoria Park, Hong Kong from 2 to 8 November 2026 on outdoor hard courts. Liu will return to training after the title and said she is looking forward to coming back next year. Eala’s strong campaign ends one step short of a second WTA title, though the week further elevated her ranking and underscored the consistency she has shown throughout 2026. ### Key figures from the Hong Kong Open final | Figure | Value | | --- | --- | | Liu's WTA ranking | 102 | | Match duration | 1 hour 33 minutes | | Sets dropped by Liu all week | 0 | | Eala's career-high ranking | 17 | | Eala's ranking next week | 15 | | Liu's career-high ranking | 52 | ### Sources - [Mint](https://www.livemint.com/sports/news/alexandra-eala-stunned-by-claire-liu-in-straight-sets-as-american-claims-maiden-wta-title-in-hong-kong-tennis-11794138712003.html) - [Sportstar](https://sportstar.thehindu.com/tennis/alexandra-eala-claire-liu-hong-kong-open-2026-final-score-results-updates-tennis-wta-tour-news/article71680957.ece) - [Photo: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claire_Liu_(2026_US_Open)_01_(cropped).jpg) --- Source: Apex Sports News, https://apexsportsnews.in/news/claire-liu-beats-alexandra-eala-6-3-6-0-to-win-hong-kong-open-title. 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