MANILA — Filipino tennis star Alex Eala defeated Russia’s Alina Charaeva 6-1, 6-2 in the round of 32 at the Philippine Women’s Open on Monday night at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
The victory marked Eala’s debut in the main draw of a WTA event held in the Philippines. Ranked No. 49 in the world, Eala said playing in Manila allowed her to reflect on her development as a professional player.
“It’s a full circle moment to see how far tennis has come in the Philippines,” Eala said. “Playing in this match and seeing my two worlds collide—being in Manila and in a WTA Tour event—is very emotional for me.”
Other Filipino competitors also participated in the tournament. Elizabeth Abarquez lost 6-0, 6-0 to Japan’s Mai Hontoma in the round of 32 but said she valued the opportunity to play against world-class opponents. Kaye Emana and Justine Maneja were defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja and Argentina’s Nicole Fossa Huergo in women’s doubles. Angeline Alcala and Joanna Peña lost 6-0, 6-1 to Yu Yun Li and Sara Saito.
The Philippine Women’s Open is the first WTA event held in the country and is designed to showcase rising talent like Eala while giving local players experience against international competition.