Alex Eala is set for a rankings boost after her run to the final of the Hong Kong Open capped what she described as a “fairy tale" season. Eala, 21, struggled with a knee injury during her 6-3, 6-0 defeat to Claire Liu on Sunday, as she fell short in her bid to finish off her breakthrough 2026 with another title. The disappointment did not linger, though, with Eala quickly posting a picture of her with her runner-up trophy, along with the caption: “A fairy tale end to a fairy tale season.”