WITH a dominant showcase of skill, Alex Eala defeated Alina Charaeva of Russia at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila, Philippines, last Jan. 26, kicking off her campaign at the 2026 Philippine Women’s Open WTA 125 tournament with a score of 6-1 and 6-2, marking this as her first victory in the Philippines.

The match between the Filipina and the Russian marked their second meeting. The beginning of the game looked like it was going to be a tightly contested match, with Eala won her first game point of the match before Charaeva tied it immediately; however, Eala turned up the tide, unleashing powerful smashes, and continued to outsmart her opponent by winning crucial rallies and capitalizing on Charaeva’s fault errors. Eala won the opening set with a score of 6-1.

The second set was no different. Although the Russian started off strong by winning the first two game points of the match, the Filipina was not letting go of any chances to spoil her game debut on home soil. 

With a score of 2-1, Eala quickly seized control as she immediately gained the lead with her third game point before temporarily requesting a timeout—moderately scaring the Filipino crowd. Once the game resumed, the timeout showed little to no effect, as Eala continued to dominate, scoring 5 consecutive games to lock out the 2nd set, securing the match.

In a post-match press conference, Eala expressed her gratitude and excitement after winning in front of her home crowd—as it was her first match played in the Philippines. 

"It is my first ever professional match at home, and I was able to spend it around my family and supporters surrounded with love, so it's very special," she said. 

Furthermore, she also addressed her condition regarding the earlier timeout, assuring everyone that she felt positive about her situation and would continue to push forward. 

Alex Eala will continue her campaign in the Philippine Women’s Open WTA  as she prepares for round 16 against Himeno Sakatsume of Japan.