Sakkari loses Hong Kong semi-final to Eala 5-7, 6-3, 4-6 after rain-hit battle

Semi-final result

Maria Sakkari lost her WTA 250 semi-final in Hong Kong to Alexandra Eala on Saturday, 7 November, going down 5-7, 6-3, 4-6. NewsIT put the match at 2 hours and 43 minutes, with several stoppages for rain. Sakkari, 31, is listed at No. 30 and Eala, 21, at No. 17 by in.gr and NewsIT, while iefimerida gives Eala No. 120. The contest swung back and forth on the scoreboard, and both players had to save a large number of break points under difficult conditions.

How the sets unfolded

Eala took the first set 7-5. Sakkari had been broken twice early in that set, levelled at 3-3, and went ahead 5-4 before Eala won the closing games. Sakkari opened the second set with a 3-0 run and led 5-2, before Eala cut the gap to 5-3. Sakkari held on to win the set 6-3 and force a decider.

In the third set Eala moved 3-0 and then 4-1 ahead. Sakkari pulled back to 4-3 and then to 4-4, but Eala won the decisive break at 5-4 and took the match 6-4.

Key statistics

Sakkari hit 12 aces to Eala's two. Sakkari faced 22 break points in total and saved 17 of them. Eala used five of her 22 break chances, and the reports describe her as the more effective player on the key points.

Maria Sakkari12

Alexandra Eala2

Maria Sakkari

12 aces

Alexandra Eala

2 aces

Data from the article text

What comes next

Eala will face Clara Liu, listed as No. 102 by the Greek reports, in the final. Liu won her semi-final 2-0 in the other semi-final, according to NEWS 24/7. NewsIT notes that the final would be Eala's second career title. Sakkari's run ends at the semi-final stage, which in.gr describes as a notable showing in Hong Kong.