Alex Eala suffers surprise Singapore Open exit as world No. 180 Russian scores shocker

FRUSTRATED. Alex Eala in action for the Philippines at the 2026 Singapore Open.

WTA/Ashok Kumar

The defeat marks the first time Alex Eala, currently the world No. 18, loses to a player ranked outside the top 100 since she broke into the top 50

AT A GLANCE

• Alex Eala suffered a surprising defeat to world No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova in the round of 16 at the Singapore Open, marking her first loss to a player outside the top 100 since November 2025.
• Eala had a strong start, leading 4-2 in the second set, but ultimately lost the match after dropping 11 of the final 15 games.
• Despite the loss, Eala is expected to be a strong contender for the women's singles crown at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.

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MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala used to be the one pulling off upsets, but on Thursday, September 24, she found herself on the receiving end.

Eala suffered a surprise exit from the Singapore Open after a stunning 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 defeat to world No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova of Russia in the round of 16 at Centre Court of the OCBC Arena on Thursday, September 24.

Seeded second, Eala looked poised to reach the quarterfinals after racing to a 4-2 lead in the second set, only to drop 11 of the final 15 games as Prozorova secured the biggest win of her career. 

The loss marked the first time Eala, currently the world No. 18, lost to a player ranked outside the top 100 since she broke into the top 50 in November 2025.

Most of the fans who packed Centre Court expected Eala to cruise to the last eight, especially after she reached the third round of the US Open earlier this September.

And Prozorova’s track record hardly hinted at her capacity for a shocker as she was making her first appearance in the round of 16 of a WTA 500 tournament. She has also made a Grand Slam main draw just once.

The 22-year-old Russian, however, defied the odds.

“Wow, I just did it,” said Prozorova. “I just believed in myself ’til the end. I knew that she will fight. I will also fight ’til the end. That was what I did and it worked.” 

Eala even grabbed a 3-2 lead in the deciding set after breaking Prozorova, but the Russian hit her stride and reeled off the next four games to earn the right to face China’s Wang Xinyu in the quarterfinals.

Prozorova fired 52 winners, including a forehand that sailed past Eala and wrapped up the marathon match in 3 hours and 9 minutes. 

Coming off a two-week break after the US Open, Eala produced just 24 winners, although she tallied fewer unforced errors, 52-63. 

Eala can shift her focus to the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, where she is expected to contend for the women’s singles crown following her bronze finish in the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China.

With the likes of world No. 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, No. 17 Naomi Osaka of Japan, and defending champion Zheng Qinwen of China skipping the continental showpiece, Eala enters the tournament as a leading contender for the gold medal. – Rappler.com