Sports

Alexandra Eala exited the Australian Open women’s singles in the first round after Alycia Parks rallied for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win in Melbourne. The 20-year-old Filipina, making her main-draw debut, rode strong crowd support early before Parks adjusted and took control. Eala entered the tournament at a career-best No. 49 following a semifinal run in Auckland and remains scheduled for doubles play. World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and American Coco Gauff both advanced to the second round with opening-match victories as seeded players continued to progress at Melbourne Park.

Novak Djokovic opened his 2026 Australian Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Spain’s Pedro Martinez, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, in Melbourne on January 19, 2026. The victory marked Djokovic’s 100th career match win at the Australian Open and advanced the 10-time champion to the second round. Tournament organizers confirmed that the 38-year-old Serb, who is pursuing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, will next face Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league has held talks with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid about joining a proposed NBA-backed European basketball league planned for 2027 in partnership with FIBA. Speaking during a trip to London and Berlin, Silver said the NBA is meeting potential investors and clubs as it develops the league’s structure, ownership rules, and competition format. He confirmed PSG as the latest major football club to express interest in the project and said discussions with European organizations remain ongoing. The NBA announced its intention in 2023 to launch a pan-European competition aligned with the global basketball calendar and coordinated with domestic leagues and international events.

MJ Phillips has joined the Nxled Chameleons from the Petro Gazz Angels in the Premier Volleyball League, bringing championship experience to a young team she described as an underdog. Nxled also signed former Angels Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo and several ex-Petro Gazz teammates in a bid to strengthen its roster ahead of the next PVL conference. Team officials, coaches and league representatives confirmed the multi-player move and said the new recruits will report for pre-season training before the final lineup and schedule are announced.

Amanda Anisimova enters the 2025 Australian Open aiming for a third consecutive Grand Slam final after a breakout season that lifted her to world number four. The 23-year-old American, named the WTA’s Most Improved Player, reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2025, splitting high-stakes encounters with top-ranked Iga Swiatek. With enhanced seeding, elevated expectations, and renewed focus on fitness and mental resilience, Anisimova prepares to test her improved game at Melbourne Park as she targets another deep run in a major.

San Miguel Beer guard Jericho Cruz said the Beermen expect a competitive best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup Finals rematch against TNT Tropang Giga after clinching a 101-88 Game 6 semifinal win over Barangay Ginebra at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Cruz cited TNT’s starting lineup and bench depth as key challenges and noted that San Miguel’s coaching staff has begun preparing adjustments for the championship series, which will open on Wednesday at a venue yet to be announced.

Filipino tennis player Alex Eala captured the 2026 Kooyong Classic women’s singles title in Melbourne, Australia, defeating 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist Donna Vekic of Croatia, 6-3, 6-4. Organizers awarded Eala the Evonne Goolagong Cawley Trophy, named after the former world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion. Former Australian WTA and Grand Slam player Elizabeth Peers presented the trophy during the ceremony at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. The exhibition event served as a key warm-up for Eala ahead of her Australian Open debut later in January 2026, where she will compete in the main draw representing the Philippines.

The Philippine men’s football team will face Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos in Group B of the ASEAN Football Championship starting in late July 2025. The draw, held Thursday, placed the Philippines against Thailand, which ousted the squad in the 2024 semifinals with a 4-3 aggregate win. The 2024 run marked the Philippines’ first semifinal appearance since 2018. Head coach Carles Cuadrat will again lead the national team as it aims to at least equal its previous performance. Officials will release the full schedule and venue details later.

Barangay Ginebra forward Troy Rosario revealed that he played through a confirmed quadriceps tear in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals loss to San Miguel Beer, 101-88, in Manila. Rosario detailed how unclear MRI results from St. Luke’s Medical Center left him uncertain about the injury’s severity until hours before tip-off. He still chose to play in the knockout game, managing pain and stress as Ginebra’s title bid ended. Team officials started mapping out his treatment and recovery after the diagnosis.

The NBA fined Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown $35,000 on Monday for postgame comments criticizing officiating after a 100-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Boston. Brown, who did not attempt a free throw in the game and questioned the consistency of calls, said he would accept any penalty during a two-minute locker room interview that included expletives. The league cited his public criticism of referees and his language in announcing the fine, which does not include a suspension.