Filipino 14th seeds Alex Eala and Francis Casey Alcantara concluded their Asian Games campaign in Hangzhou, China with a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event.
The junior doubles grand slam champions and Southeast Asian Games medalists struggled to overcome No. 9 seeds En-Shuo Liang and Tsung-Hao Huang of Chinese Taipei in the semifinals on Friday, 5-7, 3-6.
Their mixed doubles bronze is the second tennis medal of the Philippines at the 19th Asiad, following Eala’s bronze finish in women’s singles due to her semis defeat to Chinese top seed and eventual gold medalist Qinwen Zheng.
In addition, their Hangzhou podium finishes ended the 17-year drought of Philippine tennis at the Asiad and matched the 2006 Doha Games bronze results of Cecil Mamiit in men’s singles and men’s doubles with Eric Taino.
On Court 1 of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Eala and Alcantara saved four break points and hurdled five deuces to level at 1-1.
Down 1-3, the Filipinos caught up then broke at deuce to advance to 4-3 and equalized to 5-5 by saving a set point.
A quick hold from Liang and Huang forced Eala and Alcantara to serve to stay in the set for the second time, and the Chinese Taipei tandem broke at deuce to gain the upper hand, 7-5.
After the teams notched difficult service holds for 2-2, Eala and Alcantara clinched two break chances in the fifth game.
Liang and Huang saved both break opportunities to hold, broke serve for 4-2, then held to love for a 5-2 lead.
Eala and Alcantara scored a love hold to trail at 3-5, and their opponents replied with a solid service game where they earned three match points.
At 40-15, Liang and Huang secured a spot in Saturday’s final, 6-3, to challenge either No. 2 seeds Rutuja Bhosale and Rohan Bopanna of India or their third-seeded compatriots Hao-Ching Chan and Yu-Hsiou Hsu.
The Philippine duo tallied four aces, three double faults, two out of five break point conversions, and 65 total points won, while the Chinese Taipei team had four aces, zero double faults, four out of 11 break points won, and 81 total points won.
After receiving an opening bye, Eala and Alcantara routed Sunira Thapa and Pranav Khanal of Nepal in the second round, 6-0, 6-0.
They stunned Indian top seeds Ankita Raina and Yuki Bhambri in the third round, 6-4, 4-6, 10-8, and Thai No. 11 seeds Luksika Kumkhum and Maximus Parapol Jones in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-4.
Eala, 18, is the girls’ doubles titlist of the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 Roland Garros.
The 2022 US Open Juniors singles winner has four ITF women’s singles crowns and three SEA Games bronze medals.
The 31-year-old Alcantara, meanwhile, is the 2009 Australian Open boys’ doubles champion with 20 ITF men’s doubles titles and two SEAG golds for men’s doubles.
He partnered with fellow two-time SEA Games gold medalist Ruben Gonzales in the Asiad men’s doubles draw, where the No. 4 seeds lost in Sunday’s opener against Thais Thantub Suksumrarn and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul.
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