Alex Eala believes that Filipinos can learn the ins and outs of tennis as the country hosts its first-ever WTA tournament with the Philippine Women’s Open.
A learning experience is in store not just for players, but also for fans as the country hosts the first-ever Philippine Women’s Open, with the main draw set for January 26-31.
As the first-ever WTA tournament in Manila, the Philippine Women's Open presents a unique opportunity for local talent and fans alike to engage with top-level tennis and everything that goes along with the sport.
As action already unfurled with the qualifying draw on Saturday, WTA world no. 49 and hometown favorite Alex Eala believes that the Philippine Women's Open is a great avenue to amp up the tennis experience locally, whether as a player, coach, or a supporter.
“I think this is a good platform for people to start to know more about tennis,” Eala said during her pre-tournament press conference.
“It's normal that without us having had that much success at this level in tennis in the recent years, it's kind of not had a lot of spark or, you know, not many people know about it.”
Eala's own success have put tennis into the mainstream for Filipino sports fans. The Philippine Women's Open itself comes on the heels of her breakthrough campaign on the WTA Tour in 2025.
Eala's star is currently shining so brightly that Grand Slam events are taking note, as even her one-and-done singles appearance at the 2026 Australian Open has sparked multiple talking points, with fans flocking to see her play and drawing attention from big names like Novak Djokovic and Jessica Pegula.
[RELATED: Home bet Stefi Aludo advances in Philippine Women’s Open qualifiers]
In Manila’s backyard
But as tennis is as close as ever for Filipinos, the sport is slowly becoming a desirable watch for the general local sports fan.
It is a welcome development for Eala, as she is finally able to share this level of tennis to the local audience and is hopeful that something positive comes from the whole experience.
[RELATED: Tennis etiquette: Filipino coach says crowd learning curve is ‘totally understandable’]
“I think this whole tournament in general and people really coming out and seeing tennis in person, you know, it's a really different experience to watch tennis as compared to other sports, in my opinion,” Eala said.
“It's an individual sport, there's a lot of tension when things are tight and when things are, you know, you have a moment where nobody's talking and you can just hear the ball. I think it's a different experience. So I'm happy that Pinoys are now able to be exposed to that in person.”
Eala is the no. 2 seed for the Philippine Women's Open and will face off against Russia’s Alina Charaeva in the first round.
—
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.