Alex Eala lauds landmark WTA 125 meet in Manila

Despite the overlapping schedules, Alexandra "Alex" Eala was pleased with the development of tennis in the Philippines as a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 125 tournament comes to Manila in 2026.

The country is set to host the Philippine Women’s Open from January 26 to 31 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, with the possibility of Eala’s participation.

“What once was just a dream is coming true. It’s happening. The first WTA event to be held in the Philippines, and it’s all thanks to the efforts of the Philippine tennis leaders, and I’m so grateful. As a player, I could not be more proud to say that Pilipinas now has a whole tennis tournament,” Eala said in a video greeting on Friday during the press conference for the event.

However, the 20-year-old tennis star’s status of playing in her first-ever home tournament is yet to be determined.

Eala will compete in the 2026 Australian Open without having to go through the qualifying round, with the Grand Slam slated from January 12 to February 1.

Should she run deep in the Grand Slam tourney, Eala would not be able to make the trip back home in time for the historic staging.

After her superb campaigns this year, including her title-clinching run in the Guadalajara 125, the 20-year-old Filipina ace improved to her career-best No. 50 in the ranking, giving her a direct entry into the main draw in Australia.

The Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) said the upcoming tournament would greatly benefit not only fans but also young tennis players.

“This is historic, this is the first time we're hosting this WTA, a women's professional tournament. It's a great opportunity for the Filipinos to watch live top women professional players,” said PHILTA secretary-general John Rey Tiangco.

“We can learn from them, and of course our young tennis players can be inspired by watching. And there's also a chance that our top players, including Alex Eala could play this event. Tennis is actually a great sport for the country. We have proven, Alex has proven, that we can excel in tennis,” he added.

Eala is one of the two flag bearers of the country in the opening ceremony of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games which will run from December 9 to 20.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News