Alexandra Eala of Philippines celebrates her win against Madison Keys during Day 6 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 23, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Al Bello, Getty Images/AFP
MANILA – Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala will compete in the main draw of the WTA 500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open next month.
She was initially awarded a wildcard to the qualifying draw, but the tournament announced she will be in the first wildcard into the main draw instead.
Defending champion and 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic, WTA No. 5 Elena Rybakina, and former world no. 2 Paula Badosa are among the players that will headline the indoor hard-court tournament.
Some of Eala's former opponents like Jelena Ostapenko, Victoria Mboko and Clara Tauson are also in the main draw of the Abu Dhabi Open.
Canadian-Filipina tennis player Leylah Fernandez is likewise competing in the tournament.
The Abu Dhabi Open is scheduled from January 31 to February 7.
FIRST PRACTICE IN MANILA
Days after returning to Manila, Eala gets to work ahead of the historic WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open.
In a post on the tournament's social media pages, Eala was seen practicing at the newly-refurbished Rizal Memorial Tennis Court in Manila on Friday.
The WTA No. 49 player held her first practice on center court with fellow Filipina tennis player Tennielle "Tenny" Madis.
"No place like home! Alex Eala's first practice in Manila for the Philippine Women's Open," the post wrote.
READ: Alex Eala back in the country, confirms participation in PH Women's Open
Eala and Madis were both given wildcards to the main draw of the tournament as the top tennis players from the Philippines.
The two were also part of the women's team that clinched bronze during the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last December.
READ: Alex Eala leads historic Filipino moment at record-breaking Australian Open
The draw for the main draw of the tournament will be held on Saturday, the same day when the qualifiers kick off.
The main draw is set from January 26 to 29, while the semifinal is on January 30 and the final will be on January 31.
Tickets for the semifinal, final and January 29 are sold out but remain available for other dates, according to the tournament's social media pages.
The Philippine Women's Open will run from January 26 to 31 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.