Claire Liu ended a long wait for her first Tour singles title by defeating No. 2 seed Eala 6-3, 6-0 in the final of the Prudential Hong Kong Open on Sunday. The American, ranked No. 102, needed just one hour and 33 minutes to complete the job at Victoria Park and leave the court as champion without having dropped a set all week.
The match began with both players trading breaks early. They reached 3-3 in the opening set before Liu seized control. From that point she reeled off nine consecutive games, converting the decisive breaks and holding serve with increasing authority. Eala required medical attention on her right knee during the first set and continued with visible discomfort thereafter. Once Liu established a clear lead, the second set quickly slipped away, ending in a 6-0 bagel.
Claire 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, yet 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 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.
arrived in Hong Kong on the back of a breakthrough season that included a historic WTA 500 title in Washington DC. The final marked her third career WTA Tour singles final, leaving her with a 1-2 record in championship matches. Despite the loss, the week further elevated her ranking and underscored the consistency she has shown throughout 2026.
After the match, Claire 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. But I am looking forward to coming back next year and I am super happy.”
In her runner-up speech Alexandra 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. This is only the beginning and this one like all of them, is ours, so congratulations.”
Liu’s first WTA title caps a patient rebuild after several seasons outside the upper rankings, while Eala’s strong campaign ends one step short of a second trophy. Both players now turn their attention to the off-season and the start of 2027.
