Alex Eala’s Jingshan Run Ends in Heartbreaker Against Lulu Sun

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by Misha Cruz

Alex Eala bows out of the Jingshan Open after a heartbreaking 3-set loss to Lulu Sun.
Alex Eala bows out of the Jingshan Open after a heartbreaking 3-set loss to Lulu Sun. Photo: Instagram.

Alex Eala fans, this one stings. After powering her way to the semifinals of the Jingshan Open in China, our girl fell short against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, bowing out 6-3, 4-6, 2-6 in a tough three-set battle.

For context: this wasn’t just another match. Eala had been waiting for her chance at payback after Sun eliminated her in the final round of Wimbledon qualifiers last year. 

And when the top-seeded Filipina stormed through the first set, it felt like the revenge tour was on. She jumped to a quick 2-0 lead, broke early, and controlled the pace to close out the set in style, 6-3.

But if you know Lulu Sun, you know she’s built differently. The Kiwi (with Chinese and Croatian roots) flipped the script in the second set, answering Alex’s early lead with four straight games of her own. Eala fought back to tie it 4-all and even had chances to swing the momentum, but couldn’t convert on three crucial break points. Sun steadied herself, grabbed the set, and suddenly, the tide turned.

By the third, it was clear Alex’s energy had dipped. Sun pounced on every service game, breaking repeatedly until the match slipped away after just over two hours. Another chapter closed between these two rising stars—Sun now 2-0 in their head-to-head.

New Zealand's Lulu Sun.
New Zealand's Lulu Sun. Photo: Tennis.kiwi.

For Alex, though, this isn’t the end, just another step in her grind. She walks away with 27 ranking points and about $5,300 in prize money, not bad but not quite the boost she hoped for. 

Some fans are debating whether skipping the bigger-paying China Open was the right call, since she could’ve earned more cash and points even in qualifying rounds. But let’s be real, Alex isn’t chasing checks. She’s chasing growth, consistency, and wins that will keep her climbing toward the WTA Top 50.

Alex Eala.
Alex Eala. Photo: PSC/POC.

And let’s not forget: this is the same 20-year-old who’s already beaten the likes of Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and even world no.1 Iga Swiatek in her Miami Open run earlier this year. One semifinal setback isn’t erasing that magic.

Next stop? The Suzhou WTA 125 later this month, where Alex enters as the No. 4 seed. Bounce-back season continues—don’t sleep on her.