Alex Eala turns on the heat at the 2026 Australian Open, making her first appearance in the main draw against Alycia Parks.
Alex Eala takes a major career step as she opens her 2026 Australian Open campaign against American Alycia Parks in the first round on Monday, January 19, marking the Filipina’s long-awaited main draw debut in Melbourne.
Now ranked WTA world no. 49, Eala finally broke through after falling short of the main draw in previous years, and she enters the season’s first Grand Slam brimming with confidence.
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Eala is chasing her second career win in a Grand Slam main draw, armed with momentum from a semifinal run at the ASB Classic and a second statement victory over Paris 2024 Olympics silver medalist Donna Vekic at the Kooyong Classic.
Standing across the net is Alycia Parks, currently no. 100 in the WTA rankings, in what will be the pair’s first-ever meeting.
While Parks has struggled for consistency of late, the powerful American remains a dangerous opponent.
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She has previously knocked off Top 10 players during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, proof of the upside that could surface on any given day.
For Eala, the challenge will be balancing poise and aggression against a big-hitting opponent eager to spark a turnaround.
With form, ranking, and momentum on her side, the Filipina hopes her Melbourne debut becomes another milestone in a rapidly rising career.
(With reports from Luisa Morales)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]