Alex Eala secures wild card in historic PH Women’s Open 2026

January 5 ------ Filipina tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala is set to make a landmark homecoming after being named a wild card entry for the first-ever Philippine Women’s Open, scheduled from January 26 to 31, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.

Eala’s participation, like that of the other players on the entry list, remains subject to results at the Australian Open in Melbourne, as the Philippine Women’s Open coincides with the second week of the season’s first Grand Slam. Still, her expected appearance as a wild card underscores the tournament’s commitment to spotlighting homegrown talent on a global stage.

Leading the field is World No. 45 Tatjana Maria, whose remarkable 2025 season became one of the sport’s most compelling stories. At 37, the German veteran became the oldest player to win a WTA singles title since Serena Williams in 2020 after lifting the Queen’s Club trophy in London, a run that included multiple upsets and a straight-sets win over Amanda Anisimova in the final.

Also set to make her Manila debut is Argentina’s Solana Sierra, who enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign, cracking the Top 100 and reaching a career-high No. 64. Now she’s World No. 66. Sierra turned heads with a fourth-round run at Wimbledon as a lucky loser and captured her maiden WTA 125 title at the Mallorca Women’s Championship.

China’s World No. 57 Xinyu Wang adds further depth to the draw. A proven force in both singles and doubles, Wang is a Grand Slam champion after winning the 2023 Roland Garros doubles title with Hsieh Su-wei and arrives in Manila fresh off her first WTA Tour final appearance in Berlin. Completing the list of marquee names is World No. 69 Donna Vekic of Croatia, who reached a career-high world ranking of No. 17 in January 2025. Her rise followed a standout 2024 season capped by a semifinal run at Wimbledon, where she bowed out to eventual finalist Jasmine Paolini.

The tournament will be staged at the historic Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, which is currently being renovated through joint efforts with the Philippine Sports Commission NSTIAC (National Sports Tourism Inter Agency Committee ) and the Philippine Tennis Association. Organizers are expected to release the doubles entry list, draw ceremony details, ticketing information, and other tournament updates in the coming weeks. The tournament is a 32 size main draw with 24 direct entries , 4 wild cards and 4 qualifiers. There will also be a 16-player qualifying draw and a 16 main draw doubles event.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com