Filipina tennis star Alex Eala arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on Friday for a short stop before heading to Melbourne for the Australian Open. She will spend a few days with her family to welcome the New Year before the big tournament starts.
The Australian Open will run from January 12 to February 1. This event is very special for Eala because it will be her first time to play directly in the main draw without joining the qualifiers. She earned a direct spot after entering the Top 100 of the Women’s Tennis Association rankings. Eala is currently ranked No. 53 in the world.
Before going to Australia, Eala spent the holidays in Macau. She played in the 2025 MGM Macau Tennis Masters, an exhibition tournament with top young players and tennis legends.
Eala won the Australian Open junior doubles title in 2020. In past years, she joined the women’s event through wildcards but failed to pass the qualifiers. Last year, she lost in the first round to Croatia’s Jana Fett.
The Australian Open is now the only Grand Slam where Eala has not yet played in the main draw. She already competed in Wimbledon, the French Open, and the US Open last year. At the US Open, she made history by becoming the first Filipina to win a main draw match.
Her possible return to play in the Philippine Women’s Open will depend on how far she goes in Melbourne.
