FILIPINO tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala cherished the moment she teamed up with the legendary Venus Williams of the United States in the doubles event of the 2026 Bad Homburg Open in Germany.
Pairing for the first time, the 21-year-old Eala and the 46-year-old Williams reached the quarterfinal round of the tournament where they lost to Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia and Olivia Nicholls of Great Britain, 6-3, 6-2, Thursday night.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I’d have the privilege of competing alongside you on court, Venus Williams! Immensely grateful to learn from you,” Eala wrote on her Instagram account.
Despite the exit, Williams called Eala her “best partner.”
“The best ride, the best tournament. The best partner!” Williams wrote on Instagram.
Williams and Eala defeated Alexandra Osborne and Catherine Harrison in the first round before facing the second-seeded Nicholls and Mihalikova.
Williams has 22 Grand Slam double titles in her career, sharing 14 of them with her sister Serena.
In her 25-year singles career, Williams won seven Grand Slam championships: the 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008 editions of the Wimbledon Open, and 2001 and 2001 US Open.
She’s also the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history, having won the singles gold medal in 2000 Sydney Games, and sharing three gold medals in doubles event with Serena in the 2000 Sydney, 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics.
After a hiatus in March 2024, she was back in competition, with high-profile partnerships with Hailey Baptiste in the 2025 Washington Open (round of 16 exit) and Leylah Fernandez in the 2025 US Open (quarterfinals).
Eala, meanwhile, is gearing up for the Wimbledon Open, which starts on June 30, and where she is seeded 29th.
