FILIPINA tennis sensation Alex Eala is dusting off the disappointment of her Manila heartbreak as she gears up for the high-stakes 2026 Abu Dhabi Open scheduled on Jan. 31 to Feb. 7 at the International Centre in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Eala's run at the 2026 Philippine Women’s Open — country's inaugural WTA 125 tournament — ended abruptly against Colombia's Camila Osorio, 6-4, 6-4, at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center last Thursday.
While this is not the result that the Filipino crowd was rooting for the home bet, Eala was filled with gratitude to be able to show up for her country.
“To everyone who’s here watching and supporting me, too bad, we fell short a little. We didn’t hit that level, but what’s important is that I am here. I am here in the Philippines,” she said after her match.
Eala secured a wild-card entry in the Abu Dhabi Open main draw.
The 20-year old Eala is still reeling from her Manila loss, but she's keeping her eyes on the prize — snatching another title.
“I hope I can win some... I’m just doing my best, I’m sorry, I just came off from a loss, and I could not think of a specific answer. My goal is to win, take it match by match,” she said when asked on her next tournaments.
Despite the loss, Eala stressed that being backed by Filipinos was a moment she'll treasure forever.
“It’s so nice to feel the support of the country. It definitely cushions the blow, but it’s a double-edged sword; it hurts a little more because you want to do what’s best for them,” she added.
The 2026 Abu Dhabi Open will field former champions Belinda Bencic, Elena Rybakina, along with Eala’s familiar foe Clara Tauson, Jelena Ostapenko, Victorio Mboko and Leylah Fernandez.
The Mubadala building in Abu Dhabi lit up, featuring the Filipina tennis star.
"Abu Dhabi is ready to welcome the world's best. Mabudala Tower lights up for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open 2026, the page wrote.
Eala acknowledged that she’s the reason why a WTA 125 was made possible in the country.
“Yes, I heard about it. And I think in those ways and in my tennis. I can be able to help, slowly, here in the Philippines for tennis to grow. I know that tennis is not much of a popular sport in our country, and to see it grow means so much,” she added.
Eala opened her PH Women’s Campaign on a high note after a dominant win against Alina Charaeva of Russia and Himeno Sakatsume of Japan.
Eala believes that it is also time for the Philippines to step up and take risks for young tennis players. “If we nourish our tennis players, then slowly we can build, we can start to build more champions.”
Osorio, Solana Sierra, Donna Vekic, and Tatiana Prozorova are the elite four netters who gun for the first-ever PH Women’s Open title.