Alex Eala and Janice Tjen will join forces for a dream SEA tandem in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open doubles draw.
Alex Eala is joining forces with Indonesian rival Janice Tjen as they partner up for the doubles tournament of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in the United Arab Emirates.
The WTA 500 tournament, which begins with the main draw on Sunday, February 1, features both Eala and Tjen in singles action as wild cards.
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For the doubles draw, the two Southeast Asians will start in the Round of 16, facing another familiar name in Leylah Fernandez.
Fernandez has Filipino roots apart from her Canadian and Ecuadorian descent and will play with Kristina Mladenovic.
Eala and Tjen are among the biggest names in Southeast Asian tennis, and were two of four players who competed in the 2026 Australian Open from the region.
Earlier this week, Eala spoke about how the increased visibility of Southeast Asians is a good thing for tennis.
“Yeah, I'm so proud to be in that kind of group of girls who are really lifting up the sport in our region. I think the level is really there, as you can see. Four young women in the main draw of Australia this year from Southeast Asia,” Eala said during the Philippine Women’s Open.
“I think it creates a really good atmosphere. And I think it can only do good things for the sport,” she added.
Eala and Tjen had previously faced each just once so far during last year's SP Open in Brazil. Tjen defeated Eala in the quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-1.
They missed out on facing each other in the Southeast Asian Games gold medal after Tjen retired from her match against Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the semifinals.
Sawangkaew and compatriot Lanlana Tararudee were the two other SEA players who competed in the Australian Open.
The Thai duo also saw action at the recently-concluded Philippine Women’s Open.
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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.