Filipina tennis star Alex Eala kicked off the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over Russia’s Alina Charaeva. The No. 2 seed overcame an early second-set wobble and an injury scare to advance to the second round. Her performance boosts her live WTA ranking to No. 45.
The WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open, the first of its kind in the country, began on January 26, 2026, at the refurbished Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila. As the top Filipina contender, 20-year-old Alex Eala, seeded No. 2 and ranked world No. 49, faced world No. 163 Alina Charaeva in the opening round.
Eala dominated the match, breaking Charaeva five times while losing serve only once. She won 66% of total points (61 of 93). The first set went swiftly 6-1, but in the second, Eala trailed 0-2 and called a medical timeout at 1-2 due to an apparent injury concern. She quickly recovered, reeling off six straight games to seal the 6-2 victory in straight sets.
Post-match, Eala rushed to embrace her parents, Mike and Rizza, amid a standing ovation from the packed crowd. In her on-court interview, she addressed the home pressure: “Pressure is part of my job... But it’s nothing compared to the pressures that regular, everyday Filipinos have to face providing for their families. It’s nothing compared to what my parents have sacrificed.” She called the debut a “full-circle moment,” reflecting on tennis's growth in the Philippines and her pride in colliding her Manila roots with the WTA Tour.
This win earns Eala 20 points, pushing her to 1,154 total and No. 45 in live rankings—up from No. 49 after her Australian Open exit. A second-round victory over either Nao Hibino or Himeno Sakatsume could add 30 more points, targeting No. 43 or higher. Winning the tournament would yield 125 points, potentially lifting her to No. 41.
The event, with a $115,000 prize pool and 32-player singles draw, features other Filipinas like Tenny Madis, who lost 4-6, 0-6 to Thailand’s Manangchaya Sawangkaew. Upgrades to the venue, including expanded seating for 2,000, signal ambitions for future WTA events.
