Who is Antonia Ruzic? Meet Alex Eala's quarterfinal opponent at the Hong Kong Tennis Open - GMA Network

Alexandra “Alex” Eala will face a new opponent when she takes the court for the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Tennis Open on Friday.

Eala is set to take on Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic, 23, who is currently ranked No. 81 in the world.

The quarterfinal clash will mark the first meeting between the two players in their professional careers.

Eala booked her place in the last eight with a 6-4, 7-6(7) victory over Tereza Valentova in the Round of 16, while Ruzic advanced after defeating China’s Xinyu Wang, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

Ruzic reached a career-high ranking of No. 50 in July 2026.

The Croatian made her Grand Slam debut at last year’s US Open and competed in all four Grand Slam tournaments this year. She reached the second round of both the French Open and Wimbledon.

She also made an impressive run at the Dubai Tennis Championships earlier this year, defeating Emma Raducanu in the Round of 64 before advancing past Elena Rybakina, who retired during their match. Ruzic eventually bowed out in the quarterfinals after losing to Elina Svitolina.

More recently, Ruzic reached the quarterfinals of the Japan Open before continuing her campaign in Hong Kong.