Manila will host its first-ever WTA event as the Philippine Women’s Open is officially set for January 26–31, 2026, designated as a WTA 125 tournament.
The WTA is officially heading to Manila.
The Philippine Women's Open is set for January 26-31 2026, designated as a WTA 125 event and will feature a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles field, with a total prize commitment of $115,000.
It will be staged on hard courts, solidifying the country’s long-awaited entry into the WTA’s global tournament map.
[ALSO READ: Philippines in talks to host first-ever WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open]
The tournament, however, falls within the same window as the 2026 Australian Open, which runs from January 12 to February 1, creating a potential scheduling conflict for Filipino tennis star Alex Eala.
Now world no. 50, Eala is expected to compete in Melbourne, with the Australian Open being the last Grand Slam where she is yet to make a main draw appearance.
But Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Pato Gregorio had already put concerns to rest, assuring that Eala’s participation at the Manila event will not be compromised.
“Alex’s availability will not be an issue,” Gregorio stressed, noting that details on Eala’s stint will be finalized and announced jointly by the PSC and the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA).
[ALSO READ: PSC eases Alex Eala schedule concerns ahead of PH Women’s Open, Australian Open]
Gregorio also revealed that preparations are already underway at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, the venue for the Philippine Women’s Open.
“In the next few days, we’re going to renovate the tennis courts in Rizal and we’re making sure to add more bleacher sets,” he shared in an earlier interview. “We hope to accommodate more than 2,000 people in January.”
The PSC chief added that this WTA 125 event is only the beginning. With Manila now entering the international tennis map, the government aims to attract bigger WTA tournaments in the coming years.
“If we want to bid for bigger WTA events, maybe we can go to larger stadiums like those in Clark,” Gregorio said. "Every year, hopefully in the next three years, we would have WTA [events] here in the Philippines."
The Philippine Women’s Open represents the country’s first opportunity to host a WTA-sanctioned event, providing local players with international exposure and giving Filipino fans a front-row seat to high-level women’s tennis.