Alex Eala brings career-high ranking into star-studded Dubai Open debut

From Doha heartbreak to a fresh opportunity in Dubai, Alex Eala’s Middle East swing rolls on — but this time, she arrives carrying something new: a career-high ranking and rising expectations.

The Filipina star is set to make her debut at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, stepping into one of the most stacked draws of the early 2026 season. 

Awaiting her in the February 15–21 tournament is a field headlined by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina — who handed Eala a tough loss in Melbourne — and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, whom Eala famously stunned during her breakthrough semifinal run at the Miami Open last March.

Also in the mix are Coco Gauff and reigning Dubai champion Mirra Andreeva, turning the event into a proving ground loaded with Grand Slam champions and rising superstars.

For Eala, Dubai represents more than just another stop on tour. It is her sixth tournament of the 2026 calendar and her second WTA 1000 appearance of the season after Doha. 

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DEBUT IN DUBAI

Filipina tennis ace and world No. 40 Alex Eala keeps her Middle East swing rolling as she makes her debut at the Dubai Tennis Championships, entering through the main draw of the WTA 1000 event set from February 15 to 21.#AlexEala #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/SxNpCK64Xh

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) February 11, 2026

She opened her year with a semifinal finish in Auckland, followed by campaigns at the Australian Open, WTA125 Manila, Abu Dhabi, and most recently the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, where she exited in the first round after a straight-sets loss to Czech teenager Tereza Valentova.

Despite the early Doha exit, momentum still tilts in her favor.

In Monday’s WTA rankings update, Eala climbed five spots to a career-high world No. 40 — a milestone that signals both progress and pressure. Breaking into the top 40 shifts the narrative. She is no longer simply a rising prospect capable of upsets; she is now a seeded threat many players must prepare for.

Dubai will test that new status immediately.

With heavyweights lining the draw and recent rivals lurking, Eala’s debut comes at a moment when her game — and her confidence — continue to evolve. The Miami breakthrough proved she can challenge the elite. The ranking jump confirms she belongs among them.

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