Alex Eala did not let a rain delay slow her down at the Asian Games 2026. The top seed blanked Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej in the second set to win, 6-1, 6-0, and storm into the women’s singles quarterfinals on Monday, September 28.

Eala received a first-round bye, so the match was her Asian Games debut. She wrapped up the win in just 55 minutes at Indoor Court C in Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

Eala Overpowers Cheapchandej After Rain Moves Match Indoors

Eala’s match was initially scheduled on Center Court in view of the fans early Monday. Rain delays forced organizers to move all tennis matches indoors, so the Filipino star played on courts usually used for practice.

Eala raced to a 4-0 lead in the first set before the 31-year-old Cheapchandej got on the board in the fifth game. Eala then closed out the set with back-to-back games.

She never let up in the second set. Eala shut out Cheapchandej, who is ranked No. 517 in the world, to seal the win.

Eala Faces Joanna Garland in the Asian Games Quarterfinals

The world No. 18 next meets Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland, who outlasted Martaa Chogsomjav of Mongolia and Mandegar Farzami in the first two rounds to set up the showdown with Eala.

Eala hopes to improve on her 2022 Asian Games medals, when she won two bronzes in women’s singles and in mixed doubles with Francis Casey Alcantara. She is also on course for Los Angeles Olympics 2028 qualification through the Asian Games.

She comes off an early exit at the Singapore Open and is also entered in women’s doubles in Aichi-Nagoya. Eala is looking to keep making history with Team Philippines after winning gold in women’s singles at the Southeast Asian Games last December.