Alex Eala, Zeynep Sonmez join forces for Madrid Open doubles campaign 

Momentum can shift quickly in a tournament as stacked as the Madrid Open and for Alexandra “Alex” Eala, the challenge is no longer just about winning matches, but sustaining rhythm across two fronts.

On one hand, the 20-year-old Filipino is building confidence in singles after a composed 6-3, 6-3 victory over former world No. 11 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. On the other, she now pivots to doubles, where familiarity may be her biggest weapon.

Eala and her close friend, Turkish player Zeynep Sonmez, open their doubles campaign against the seasoned tandem of Chan Hao-ching and Fanny Stollar in the Round of 32. Their doubles campaign kicks off on April 23, Thursday at 5:00 PM (Philippine Time).

What makes this pairing intriguing isn’t just the numbers—it’s the contrast in identity. Unlike their opponents, who are teaming up for the first time, Eala and Sonmez are already familiar with each other’s tendencies, having partnered in three previous tournaments. 

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UPDATE: Alex Eala will pair up with Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez in the Madrid Open doubles as wildcards. pic.twitter.com/4Q2BAvlVxo

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) April 21, 2026

Their first collaboration at W60 Nantes in October 2023 ended in a quarterfinal run. A month later, they pushed further at W40 Petange, reaching the semifinals, and repeated that result at W75 Trnava in February 2024.

Meanwhile, both sides enter Madrid with different forms of momentum. Eala is coming off her singles breakthrough and will next face Elise Mertens, the world’s top-ranked doubles player in the Round of 64, adding another layer of challenge to her campaign.

Sonmez, for her part, secured a 7-5, 6-2 win over Carlota Martínez Cirez, showing she, too, arrives match-ready.

Eala herself hasn’t advanced past the Round of 32 in doubles recently, having exited Indian Wells last March alongside Iva Jovic.

Yet Madrid presents a different kind of opportunity. For Eala, this week is less about choosing between singles and doubles, and more about proving she can grow into both—leveraging her rising confidence in one discipline and translating it into the other. 

And with Sonmez by her side, the Filipino isn’t starting from scratch—she’s building on something already tested.

In a draw where experience heavily favors their opponents, Eala and Sönmez instead bring continuity—a quieter advantage, but one that could matter when points tighten and instincts take over. 

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