Who is Alycia Parks? Alex Eala’s first assignment at the Australian Open

Alex Eala will face her first hurdle at the Australian Open main draw on Monday, January 19, when she faces American Alycia Parks in the Round of 128 in Melbourne.

After missing the Australian Open the last three years via qualifiers, Eala is raring to make her mark in the first Grand Slam of the 2026 season.

Eala is likewise looking for her second win in the main draw of a Grand Slam, following her first-round upset of Clara Tauson at the US Open last year.

But Eala will be facing a tough challenge with Parks standing in the way.

[RELATED: Alex Eala set for Australian Open main draw debut vs Alycia Parks]

The 25-year-old Parks boasts a lengthy resume, which is highlighted by a WTA 1000 doubles title. She also has one singles title and a second doubles championship on the WTA Tour.

Parks also made her mark in the WTA 125 scene with five singles titles and three titles in doubles.

Previously, Parks registered two Top 10 wins — one in 2022 and one in 2023 — beating Maria Sakkari and Caroline Garcia, respectively.

Parks last won a title at the Open Angers, a WTA 125 tournament in France last December 2024 where she beat Belinda Bencic, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-0.

Eala, on the other hand, has one WTA 125 title to her name, having won the Guadalajara 125 tournament last year.

Parks reached a career-high ranking of world no. 40 in the WTA rankings in August 2023.

The 25-year-old also has made multiple appearances in the Grand Slam main draw. Her best finish came at the Australian Open with a third round appearance in 2024.

Eala and Parks have yet to face each other in their career.

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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.

Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.