Alex Eala and Shaira Rivera of the Philippines in action in the women's doubles in the tennis competitions of the 2026 Asian Games, September 29, 2026 at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Japan. POC Media
(UPDATED) Alex Eala and Shaira Rivera advanced to the Round of 16 after overcoming Hong Kong’s Lai Ching Laam and Liu Kallista, 6-1, 6-3, in the women’s doubles Round of 32 at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Indoor Court B of the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Japan on Tuesday.
The duo will next face China’s Xinyu Jiang and Zhaoxuan Yang in the Round of 16 as they continue their quest for a medal for the Philippines.
After breezing through the first set, the Philippines found itself tied with Hong Kong at two games apiece in the second frame before eventually taking a 5-2 lead.
Hong Kong went on to win the eighth game to inch closer at 5-3, but Eala took over in the ninth with two straight points and an error from their opponents, while Rivera sealed the victory with a kill from the middle.
It was Eala’s second straight victory in the tournament after she made quick work of Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, 6-1, 6-0, in the women’s singles event on Monday.
It was also the Philippines’ second straight win in women’s doubles, as Tenny Madis and Stefi Aludo took care of Indonesia’s Anjali Junarto and Meydiana Reinnamah, 6-3, 7-6 (4), also on Monday.