Alexandra Eala defeated close friend Zeynep Sonmez 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, improving her head-to-head record to 3-0. The 20-year-old Filipina praised Sonmez's impact on tennis after the match. Eala advances to face lucky loser Aliaksandra Sasnovich next.
In a matchup blending competition and camaraderie, Alexandra Eala progressed in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open by overcoming Zeynep Sonmez on February 2, 2026. The first-round encounter lasted 1 hour and 29 minutes, with Eala securing straight-sets wins of 6-4, 6-3. Ranked No. 45, Eala became the first Filipina to enter the WTA Top 50, while Sonmez, the first Turkish woman to reach a major's third round, showed resilience despite the loss.
The pair's friendship added emotional depth to the contest. Post-match, Eala shared her admiration: "I'm so honored to share the court with one of my closest friends, Zeynep. I admire her so much and she's really making waves in many ways, and our friendship goes beyond tennis and I'm so grateful for that."
On court, their similar aggressive styles led to 10 service breaks across 19 games. Eala's quick starts in each set proved decisive, as she maintained leads while Sonmez mounted valiant comebacks. Reflecting on facing a friend, Eala noted: "It's definitely something you have to get used to. Maybe it's harder in the juniors, but as a professional you learn to disassociate. In the end, we both want the best for each other but we know that when we're on court, we're going to do our best."
Elsewhere in the draw, No. 7 seed Jelena Ostapenko survived a thriller against qualifier Oksana Selekhmeteva, saving two match points to win 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-2 in 2 hours and 43 minutes—her first such comeback since 2024. Lucky loser Aliaksandra Sasnovich upset No. 8 Paula Badosa 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, setting up a second-round clash with Eala. Qualifier Sara Bejlek dominated 2025 finalist Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-0 in 67 minutes, evening their head-to-head at 2-2.
These results highlight emerging talents and dramatic turnarounds in the tournament's opening day.
