LIVE UPDATES: Alex Eala vs Claire Liu at the Hong Kong Tennis Open finals

GMA Network - Nov 8, 2026

Unseeded Claire Liu is standing between Alex Eala and the Hong Kong Open glory as the Filipina and American duke it out for the WTA 250 title on Sunday.

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Alex Eala moves within reach of second WTA crown
Nov 8, 2026

Alex Eala moves within reach of second WTA crown

HONG KONG—Alex Eala advanced to the Hong Kong Tennis Open final on Saturday after overcoming former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari of Greece in the semifinals, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, extending the Filipino’s impressive run in her final tournament of the season. The 21-year-old Eala, seeded second and ranked No. 17 in the world, overcame several

Better postgame scenes this time as Converge nails first semis berth
Nov 8, 2026

Better postgame scenes this time as Converge nails first semis berth

Converge clinched its first semifinal appearance in franchise history, and the scene that erupted after the buzzer looked like the team had just won the championship. It began with Calvin Abueva, who had been ejected in the third quarter and who was watching from the hallway of the Smart Araneta coliseum as the final seconds

Guidetti, Chameleons prove what hard work can do as Nxled keeps run intact
Nov 8, 2026

Guidetti, Chameleons prove what hard work can do as Nxled keeps run intact

Nxled’s Italian coach, Ettore Guidetti, doesn’t mind working late at night, going over different rotations and player combinations. “They (the Chameleons) deserve my best,” he said. The players have been responding with their best, too. On Saturday, the team dusted off Capital1, 25-13, 25-20, 25-18, in the PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series, which uses the

NBA: Jalen Johnson pours in 30 as Hawks dig out of 17-point hole, nip Nets
Nov 8, 2026

NBA: Jalen Johnson pours in 30 as Hawks dig out of 17-point hole, nip Nets

Jalen Johnson returned from a three-game absence to score a season-high 30 points, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 124-121 win over the visiting Brooklyn Nets.

Pedro Taduran retains IBF title, hands Brandon Moreno first career loss
Nov 8, 2026

Pedro Taduran retains IBF title, hands Brandon Moreno first career loss

Pedro Taduran successfully defended his IBF minimumweight world championship after outworking Brandon Moreno for a unanimous-decision victory in their 12-round bout Sunday morning (Philippine time) at the Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Who is Claire Liu? Meet the American standing between Alex Eala and the Hong Kong Tennis Open crown
Nov 8, 2026

Who is Claire Liu? Meet the American standing between Alex Eala and the Hong Kong Tennis Open crown

Alexandra 'Alex' Eala is seeking to rule the Hong Kong Open as she takes on American Claire Liu in the finals set on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Centre Court.

Alex Eala to finish WTA 2026 in top 15
Nov 8, 2026

Alex Eala to finish WTA 2026 in top 15

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala is set for a career-best No. 15 finish in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) 2026 season rankings. Regardless of her WTA 250 Hong Kong Open final result against Claire Liu Sunday afternoon, Eala already secured the No. 15 spot with 2,392 points. After Hong Kong, the only tournament left is the season-ended WTA Finals at Indian Wells from November 8 to 15 but only the top eight players are participating so it won’t affect Eala’s ranking no matter the result. With 2,392 points as her base, last week's No. 17 Eala will eclipse No. 15 Sorana Cirstea who ended her season with 2,386 points. The live rankings Saturday night indicated that Eala can pad her total points to 2,479 with a Hong Kong championship, but that won't be enough to push her up a notch at No. 14. Current No. 14 Elise Mertens will stay at her place since she has 2,540 total points. A top 15 finish meant a 35-rank improvement for Eala who finished last year as top 50. In a fitting follow-up to her first WTA main tour, Eala went on to make a historic fourth-round finish at Wimbledon last July which is the highest for any Filipino player. Eala also secured her first main Tour title at the 500 D.C. Open in Washington last August. Two months earlier in June, Eala claimed a 125-tier Birmingham Open title. Thus, she could raise her titles to three with a Hong Kong championship. Eala made it to the final after defeating Emerson Jones in the first round, 6-4, 6-3; Tereza Valentova in the second, 6-4, 7-6(7), Antonia Ruzic in the quarterfinals, 7-6(7), and Maria Sakkari in the semifinals, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. The lefty netter was seeking a payback win against world No. 102 Liu in the final. Eala yielded to Liu at the Guangzhou Open first round in October last year, 6-2, 4-6, 4-6.

Egypt fire World Cup coach Hassan over personal issues
Nov 8, 2026

Egypt fire World Cup coach Hassan over personal issues

PARIS, France — The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has dismissed national team coach Hossam Hassan, citing concerns over the image and stability of the national side following a series of controversies. In a statement on Saturday, the EFA said it had reviewed recent events and their "negative impact on the positive image and stability" of the national team before deciding to part company with Hassan and his coaching staff. Ali Maher, currently in charge of club side Ceramica Cleopatra, was appointed his successor. An EFA source told AFP Hassan's personal issues had created significant tension around the national team. The move came three days after Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation banned Hassan from appearing on media platforms over a case linked to his private life and former wife. Local media reported lawyers representing Hassan had filed a complaint against his ex-wife, Dina Mostafa, known publicly as "Dan Adam", alleging forgery of official documents and bigamy. Those allegations were denied by her representatives. Hassan's future had already been under scrutiny following a string of disputes after Egypt's run to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup, the country's best-ever performance at the tournament. The former striker, who took charge in March 2024, also led Egypt to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations before a fourth-place finish. Former Egypt attacker Mido said in September the situation had "gone out of control" and called for officials to intervene. Maher will take charge ahead of Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Malawi on November 13 and 17.

World No.1 Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals due to virus
Nov 8, 2026

World No.1 Rybakina withdraws from WTA Finals due to virus

LOS ANGELES, United States — World number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals at Indian Wells on Saturday due to a viral illness. Defending champion Rybakina said in a statement that she was "not physically ready to compete" in the traditional season-ender, which starts Sunday, and would focus on resting and recovering for her 2027 campaign. "I am really sad to inform all my fans and supporters that I unfortunately have to withdraw from the WTA Finals this year," Rybakina said in a statement. "I've had an incredible season but my body is just not physically ready to compete. "I'm going to spend some time resting and recovering at home and getting myself ready for the 2027 season." A WTA spokesman later confirmed that the official reason for Rybakina's withdrawal "is a viral illness." Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk will take Rybakina's place in Group One at the tournament. Rybakina rose to the top of the world rankings for the first time in September with a victory at the US Open in New York, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final. But last month, Rybakina withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo with a neck injury, a day after she secured the year-end world number one ranking with a win in her opening match. The achievement capped a year in which Rybakina also won the Australian Open in January. She now has three Grand Slam titles, her first coming at Wimbledon in 2022. Rybakina went undefeated at the 2025 edition of the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as the last qualifier. This year's WTA Finals were originally scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia, but in July were moved to Indian Wells, California. The decision was taken following US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent war in the region. Several more sports events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed in recent weeks following attacks on the country. "The WTA Finals is a very special tournament and I wish everyone the best of luck this week. Can't wait to be back in Indian Wells in March," said Rybakina in a statement released by the WTA.

Antonelli 'ready for anything' in Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Nov 8, 2026

Antonelli 'ready for anything' in Sao Paulo Grand Prix

SAO PAULO,  Brazil — New world champion Kimi Antonelli said he will be "ready for anything" in Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix when he starts alongside 2025 champion Lando Norris on the front row. Elevated one place thanks to Mercedes team-mate George Russell's five-place penalty for taking new power unit parts, the 20-year-old Italian was satisfied, but self-critical after finishing third in Saturday's rain-hit qualifying. "I was a bit too cautious I think," he said. "I was trying to understand this track in the wet for the first time and it has always been dry here so far in the past. But I felt good in the dry and not so good in the wet! "I made two big mistakes and it wasn't ideal, but all in all I think that tomorrow, we have a good chance." He added that he felt cautious about the weather ahead after the long stormy session on Saturday. "It was very tricky. To be fair, I didn't really know what to expect. Obviously, I have never driven here in the wet, so I didn't know what was coming and I struggled a little bit on the inters. "I made a big mistake, almost went off in Turn Five, but it still was enough for P3, so I’m happy with that. "Let's see what the weather is – but overall, you know, I am going to be ready for anything as the weather has been very unpredictable. We will try to be ready for anything." Russell, who qualified second, was unhappy not to take pole after being told by his Mercedes race engineer to ease off on his final flying lap. "I felt more like myself and I could fight for pole on every lap," said the British driver. "It's the first time I've felt that confident in the car for a while and it's in the wet so I don't understand that. "Congrats to Lando – but that lap was definitely a pole lap! It was a misjudgement on our side and we need to understand what happened. Yes, the rain was coming down but we should have finished the lap."

Hamilton says tension with Ferrari teammate Leclerc 'squashed'
Nov 8, 2026

Hamilton says tension with Ferrari teammate Leclerc 'squashed'

SAO PAULO, Brazil — Lewis Hamilton said he and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc had "squashed" the tension between them that followed their first lap tangle in Mexico. He said they had resolved to work together for the team in Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The seven-time champion spoke after qualifying 11th in Saturday's rain-hit qualifying at Interlagos where he will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid after taking a penalty for using two new engines. When asked if his relationship with Leclerc was improved after team boss Fred Vasseur held clear the air talks with them on Thursday evening, Hamilton said: "Fred hasn't cleared the air. It was me and Charles. "We sat and we spoke, we squashed it. And we're moving on. We still have a huge amount of respect for each other. "I'm glad we had a chat and now we move on. We've been getting along just fine, as normal. "Sometimes in those certain scenarios, it just takes having a conversation. "There's been no demands from either side. It's just been both of us giving our points in areas we can do better and support each other. "I'm hoping to have better races now, moving forward." His comments came amid much discussion of Ferrari's need to introduce "rules of engagement" for their drivers, a notion resisted by Vasseur. Of his qualifying, he said: "I love qualifying and getting to drive in the rain – and this is such an amazing track to race in all conditions, but in the wet particularly. "It was really a bit of a practice for me in case it is wet again tomorrow." Leclerc, who had returned to Monaco after Mexico for the birth of his daughter, qualified fourth but will start 14th due to serving a 10-place penalty for taking a new engine. He agreed he and Hamilton had sorted out their problems. "When we speak, things are much better straightaway," he said. "Of course, there is some tension. We want to finish ahead of each other and sometimes we are not going to do things right, but it's OK to disagree sometimes on the way you see things. "But discussing things helps a whole lot."

Messi's Miami cling to second spot on dramatic final MLS day
Nov 8, 2026

Messi's Miami cling to second spot on dramatic final MLS day

MIAMI, United States — Lionel Messi's Inter Miami clung on for second place in the Eastern Conference with a wasteful 3-3 draw against Charlotte on the final day of the MLS regular season Saturday. The Argentine superstar set up the first two goals at Miami's Nu Stadium, both from corners, to procure the reigning champions home-field advantage in at least their opening two rounds of the playoffs. Ian Fray, Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul racked up three first-half strikes for Inter Miami before Liel Abada's brace soon after the break sparked a comeback sealed by Rodolfo Aloko's late strike in a game characterized by awful defending at both ends. A single point proved enough. Miami finished the regular season second on 60, as third-place New England Revolution failed to take advantage with a surprise 1-0 loss at Orlando, finishing on 58. Messi's men will now face the Columbus Crew to begin the playoffs. Runaway leaders Nashville broke the all-time MLS points record with a whopping 77 after beating Cincinnati 2-0. Though he did not get on the scoresheet himself Saturday, Messi's 26 goals this season are still almost certain to seal his second straight golden boot award. Petar Musa, whose FC Dallas were in action later Saturday, would need to score five to prevent Messi becoming the first player to win back-to-back MLS Golden Boots. Charlotte had an early goal ruled out in the Miami clash for handball against Idan Toklomati, who set up Abada after intercepting Casemiro's weak defensive header back to the goalkeeper. In the 14th minute, Messi's corner fell unexpectedly to Charlotte's Luca de la Torre, who spooned it up for Fray to open the scoring for Miami. Another Messi corner in the 33rd minute found Suarez wide open at the near post. The Uruguayan glanced in his header for 2-0, with Messi picking up the assist. De Paul made it three before halftime, given time and space by Charlotte's defense to slam a long-range shot low to the goalkeeper's right and into the side netting. Early in the second half Abada pulled back a goal for the visitors, blasting home substitute Tyger Smalls' sharp cut-back pass from Ashley Westwood's incisive aerial through ball. Minutes later, Messi uncharacteristically steered wide a straightforward header from the edge of the six-yard box. Abada bagged a second in the 55th minute, stunning a crowd that had been in party mood moments earlier, with a first-time finish after a one-two with Pep Biel who played a smart backheel return pass. In the 90th minute, Aloko bagged the equalizer, responding first to the ball as Smalls' shot ricocheted off the post. A visibly frustrated Messi hit the post in stoppage time before Aloko came inches from bagging an unlikely winner with a thunderous shot into the outside netting. Elsewhere on 'Decision Day', with all 30 MLS teams in action, the Western Conference champion Vancouver Whitecaps beat Canadian rivals Montreal 2-0 to seal the second overall seed. That means Vancouver would be the home team if there should be a rematch of last year's MLS Cup final against Inter Miami. Columbus took advantage of in-form Cincinnati's stumble with a last-gasp 4-3 win at Chicago to finish seventh and avoid the wild card round.

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