Alex Eala draws early test as Philippine Women’s Open brackets take shape

The spotlight will shine brightest on Alex Eala when the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open main draw begins, and the Filipina star already knows the challenge standing in her way.

Eala, the tournament’s biggest local attraction, opens her campaign against Russia’s Alina Charaeva in the Round of 32 after the main draw was officially unveiled Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. With qualifiers already underway, the reveal offered a clearer picture of the hurdles awaiting the homegrown bets in Manila.

Charaeva is no stranger to high-level competition. The 22-year-old Russian climbed to a career-high world ranking of No. 142 in September 2025 and broke onto the Tour stage that same year at the WTA 500 Tokyo. 

Armed with six ITF titles and a runner-up finish at the WTA 125 Huzhou, she presents an early benchmark for Eala as the Filipina looks to translate home-court support into momentum.

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The draw also laid out the paths for the Philippines’ other main-draw entrants, each facing a stern opening assignment. Elizabeth Abarquez will be tested by Japan’s Mai Hontama, a player with Grand Slam main-draw experience after competing at the 2024 Australian Open. Kaye Ann Emana, meanwhile, squares off against Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova, a 22-year-old with seven ITF crowns and a peak ranking of No. 140.

Tenny Madis rounds out the Filipina quartet with a compelling regional showdown against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew. The Thai standout recently announced herself on the bigger stage by reaching her first WTA final at the Mumbai 125, setting up a clash that pits Southeast Asian rivals against each other early in the tournament.

With matches set to begin on Monday, January 26, the Philippine Women’s Open promises a mix of rising talents, seasoned contenders, and meaningful tests for the local players. For Eala and company, the draw underscores both the opportunity and the challenge of competing at home — where expectations are high and every match carries added weight.

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