Alex Eala falls short vs Alycia Parks, exits early in Australian Open singles draw

Alexandra “Alex” Eala fell short against Alycia Parks, 6–0, 3–6, 2–6, on Monday in the first round of the Australian Open in Melbourne, bowing out early in the singles draw of the Grand Slam tournament.

Playing in front of a crowd that felt like a home court, with many Filipinos cheering her on, Eala put up a strong fight in a match that lasted nearly two hours.

Court 6, aka Eala's turf ????@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/rwSEoFJxsA

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2026

In the opening set, Eala and Parks went neck-and-neck in a lengthy first game that lasted around 10 minutes before the Filipina ace claimed the first point. She then took control, winning the next five games to seal the first set.

Parks bounced back in the second set, racing to a 3–0 lead. Eala responded by winning the next three games to level the set and regain momentum. However, the American halted Eala’s run, taking the next three games to force a decider.

In the deciding set, Parks opened with a 2–0 lead before Eala managed to get on the board. The world No. 99 then recovered to win the next game, but Eala continued to push, trimming the deficit to 3–2.

Parks regrouped once more and won the next two games to take a 5–2 lead. In the final game, Eala refused to go down quietly, pushing Parks before the American ultimately closed out the match.

Still, Filipino fans remained on their feet after the contest, applauding Eala for her gallant stand.

Parks will next face the winner of the match between Karolina Muchova and Jaqueline Cristian.

Eala, meanwhile, will still see action in the doubles draw, partnering with Brazil’s Ingrid Martins, with their campaign set to begin on Tuesday.

READ MORE | Alex Eala at the 2026 Australian Open: Schedule and Matchups

—JKC, GMA Integrated News