MANILA, Philippines– Alexandra Eala, a 20-year-old tennis player from the Philippines, is set to make her Grand Slam debut at the 2025 French Open on Sunday, May 25.
She becomes the first Filipina to compete in a main draw of a Grand Slam tournament, marking a milestone for Philippine tennis.
Eala will face Emiliana Arango of Colombia in the opening round at Roland Garros. Both players are making their Grand Slam main-draw debuts. The matchup comes one year after Arango defeated Eala in the 2024 French Open qualifiers.
Eala, a semifinalist at the Miami Open earlier this year, enters the tournament in strong form and has expressed optimism ahead of her debut.
She cited her recent performance in Miami as a source of confidence and described her qualification as an opportunity to inspire aspiring athletes from her country.
The French Open, one of the four major Grand Slam tournaments, runs from May 25 to June 8. Eala’s participation is being closely followed by tennis fans in the Philippines and around the world.
In addition to Eala and Arango, other debutants in the 2025 French Open include Victoria Mboko and several rising players on the WTA tour.
Eala’s appearance at Roland Garros reflects the increasing global diversity in professional tennis and highlights the growing presence of Southeast Asian athletes in the sport.