GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Philippines in focus as Alex Eala competes in home WTA 125 event
Philippines, here comes global tennis.
The Philippine Women’s Open is being held at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila, and for Alexandra “Alex” Eala, the presence of a home tournament, featuring several Filipino players in the draw, is the biggest highlight of the WTA 125 event.
“I think the fact that this is happening and that I’m able to have a match at home is really the focus of this tournament,” Eala said during a press conference on Saturday.
“The fact that there are so many Filipinos in the draw, that is the focus and the highlight of this week for me, more than winning the whole thing.”
Aside from Eala, Tennielle Madis, Elizabeth Abarquez, and Kaye Emana will play in the main draw, while Stefi Aludo, Angeline Alcala, and Lauraine Jallorina played in the qualifiers. Aludo advanced to the second round of the qualifiers.
Eala says she will take it one match at a time, but the highlight for her is actually having Filipino players in the draw @gmasportsph @gmanews pic.twitter.com/n4WjnqRK5c
— JK Carandang (@jk_carandang) January 24, 2026
While Eala said she will give her best in the competition, she emphasized that she is approaching the tournament one match at a time as she goes up against some of the world’s top players.
“Going into any tournament whatsoever, I never go in expecting to win the whole thing,” she said.
“So although this is at home, my mindset in that sense is no different. I take it match by match. I’ll do everything I can to win.”
The Filipina tennis ace also described the experience of playing a home tournament as surreal, saying it feels like a long-time dream finally coming true.
“It's so, so, so surreal to have a home tournament and to see it come to life… I’m so grateful and so a little kind of in disbelief that it's actually happening,” she said, adding that she last played at Rizal around eight years ago.
Alex Eala on Philippine Women’s Open: It's so, so, so surreal to have a home tournament and to see it come to life. @gmasportsph @gmanews pic.twitter.com/7wAjApD1qS
— JK Carandang (@jk_carandang) January 24, 2026
“I feel na parang kung kailan lang ang layo nitong dream na ‘to. But it's happened, it's started, the matches have started, so I'm so happy to be here sleeping in my bed with my family, you know? So it's so nice.”
—GMA Integrated News
