MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala’s campaign in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open has come to an end after a semifinal exit in the doubles semifinals with Janice Tjen of Indonesia on Friday night (Manila time) at Zayed Sports Center.
The two Southeast Asian (SEA) rising stars were overpowered by Tereza Mihalikova of Slovenia and Olivia Nicholls of United Kingdom, 6-4, 6-2.
Eala and Tjen, who are also known as 'SEAsters' here, became the first SEA duo to reach the semifinals of a WTA 500 event.
The world No. 45 Eala and World No. 47 Tjen stood no chance against No. 28 Mihalikova and No. 26 Nicholls, as the winning duo outsmarted the young netters.
Mihalikova and Nicholls emerged as a powerhouse pairing in 2025, clinching the Berlin Open title after reaching the final in Indian Wells earlier that season.
Eala will now shift her focus to the 2026 Qatar Open, starting on Feb. 8, where she has secured a spot in the main draw as a wildcard entry.