No feed, no problem: Cignal to air Eala live

NAGOYA – Alex Eala gave up Beijing WTA 1000, and shots at a lucrative prize and ranking points, to play for flag and country in the 20th Asian Games. For a few days, it looked like no one back home would even see it.

Cignal TV quelled that fear by shelling out an extra P1 million to place its own cameras at the playing venue and bring Eala’s Asiad campaign to Filipino fans at home and abroad.

“We will not let the Filipinos down in not being able to watch Eala’s games here,” said Sienna Olaso, Cignal first vice president and head of sports content. “We’ll place our own cameras and digital equipment.”

Cignal, the official Philippine broadcaster, carries the Games on ONE Sports, ONE Sports+ and Pilipinas Live. It has Eala alongside gymnast Carlos Yulo and pole vaulter EJ Obiena as centerpieces for the coverage.

Coverage problem arose as tennis is not among the 28 sports guaranteed a live world feed from host broadcaster China Media Group-International Media Port. The rest get only highlights and ENG crews.

Apparently, tennis coverage was cut in the absence of Chinese and Japanese stars.

The Chinese Tennis Association confirmed Zheng Qinwen, the former world No. 4, along with Zhang Zhizhen, Jerry Shang Juncheng, Bu Yunchaokete and Wang Xinyu will not play in Aichi-Nagoya. They are skipping for ATP events in Chengdu and Hangzhou and the China Open in Beijing, a combined ATP 500 and WTA 1000 that directly clashes with the Asian Games tennis schedule.

Indonesia’s Janice Tjen has also withdrawn. Japan’s top aces are expected to skip for the same reason.

With that, Eala, ranked No. 18, now stands as highest-ranked player in the women’s draw. She is one of only two players in the women’s top 20 who will miss Beijing.

From her stint in the Singapore Open, Eala will fly to Nagoya in time for Asiad tennis that starts Sept. 27 at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

The Philippines is seeking its first Asian Games tennis gold since 1962.