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Filipina tennis star Alex Eala practices ahead of the main draw of the Philippine Women's Open, January 24, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila. PHILTA/Philippine Women's Open

Article (news)

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div style="line-height:1.5"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769405630948IMG_9752.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Filipina tennis star Alex Eala practices ahead of the main draw of the Philippine Women&#x27;s Open, January 24, 2026 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila. PHILTA/Philippine Women&#x27;s OpenMANILA – As the country hosts its first-ever WTA 125 tournament, four Filipinas will be testing their mettle against international tennis players in the singles main draw of the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open.</div>Most of the Filipinas who will be proudly carrying the flag are young, local talent who are eager to get a taste of high-level competition and gain valuable experience from the historic tournament.<div style="line-height:1.5"> </div><div style="line-height:1.5">ALEX EALA</div>Leading the pack is WTA No. 49 Alex Eala, who is also the No. 2 seed in the “home” tournament.Eala confirmed her participation in the tournament last week, after an early exit in the Australian Open.The 20-year-old Filipina tennis ace was earlier given a wildcard in the main draw by organizers.Eala is seen by many as the local favorite to win the historic tournament, following her stellar 2025 season on the WTA Tour.But for Eala, she’s not letting the home court and home crowd advantage get to her head, choosing to focus on the tournament just like she always does.“I never — going into any tournament whatsoever — I never go in expecting to win the whole thing. So although this is at home, my mindset in that sense is no different,” she said.&quot;So I take it match by match. I&#x27;ll do everything I can to win my first one. But if not, you know, it is what it is. You can&#x27;t win all the time,&quot; Eala added.Last December, the 20-year-old won gold at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, ending the country’s drought in women’s singles tennis.Eala will open her campaign against a familiar foe, Russian tennis player Alina Charaeva, who beat her in straight sets in their last meeting in 2020.More than winning, Eala believes it&#x27;s already a huge step forward for Philippine tennis to have its first-ever WTA 125 tournament.&quot;I think the fact that this is happening and the fact that I&#x27;m able to have a match at home is really the focus of this tournament. And the fact that there are so many Filipinos in the draw, that&#x27;s the focus and the highlight of this week for me more than winning the whole thing,&quot; she said.<div style="line-height:1.5"> TENNY MADIS <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769405934752IMG_9754.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Rising Filipina tennis star Tennielle &quot;Tenny&quot; Madis during the press conference for the Philippine Women&#x27;s Open, January 13, 2026 in Pasay City. Paige Javier, ABS-CBN NewsTennielle “Tenny” Madis was the second Filipina announced to be competing in the main draw of the Philippine Women’s Open, after being granted a wildcard.</div>The 18-year-old M’lang, Cotabato native received a wildcard to the main draw as the No. 2 top tennis player in the country, behind Eala.Madis is grateful for the opportunity to compete against high-level players in her first-ever WTA tournament, especially at home.“I’m so very grateful for the wild card. It&#x27;s a great opportunity to compete at this higher level and gain valuable experience. So I see it as an invitation to do better, to do my best,” the 18-year-old said.“I&#x27;m so very grateful for the wild card. It&#x27;s a great opportunity to compete at this higher level and gain valuable experience. So I see it as an invitation to do better, to do my best,” she added.Madis is training under Coach Bobie Angelo and the Philippine Tennis Academy.The rising star had a great 2025, winning the Gentry Open Women’s Singles title and her first Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Championship.Madis also won two bronze medals, women’s doubles and team events, at the 33rd SEA Games last December.The 18-year-old high school student is taking her talents abroad, as she is set to play varsity collegiate tennis for the University of Hawaii later this year.The first assignment of Madis will be SEA Games silver medalist, Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew, whom Eala beat in the 33rd SEA Games gold medal match.<div style="line-height:1.5"> </div><div style="line-height:1.5">KAYE ANN EMANA <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769405975591IMG_9755.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Kaye Ann Emana of UST in UAAP Season 87. UAAP Media/FileKaye Ann Emana will be getting a taste of high-level competition at the Philippine Women’s Open.</div>Emana initially booked a ticket to the qualifying draw, after ruling the WTA playoffs between local players.But her wildcard was upgraded to the main draw, pitting her against WTA-level players and fellow Filipinas.Emana was named Most Valuable Player in UAAP Season 87, representing the University of Santo Tomas.The Thomasian will be up against tough competition in Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova, who had a career-high ranking of WTA No. 140 and has seven ITF titles under her belt.<div style="line-height:1.5"> </div><div style="line-height:1.5">ELIZABETH ABARQUEZ <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769406229251IMG_9756.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Elizabeth Abaraquez of NU. Photo from UAAP Media/File.</div>Elizabeth “Elsie” Abarquez will also be making her WTA debut in the Philippine Women’s Open.She has been a standout in the collegiate ranks, representing National University in the UAAP.Abarquez was a key figure in the team that secured a three-peat for NU and its seventh title overall in women’s tennis in UAAP Season 86.The Lady Bulldog will face Japan’s Mai Hontama in the Round of 32 of the main draw.Hontama achieved a career-high ranking of WTA No. 105 and bagged four ITF titles in her career.<div style="line-height:1.5"> </div><div style="line-height:1.5">DOUBLE THE PINAY PRIDE</div>In the doubles main draw, the Philippines will have four pairs proudly representing the flag on the court.Madis will be joining forces with her Philippine Tennis Academy compatriot and SEA Games bronze medalist Stefi Aldo, while Emana will partner up with fellow Thomasian Justin Anne Maneja.Angeline Alcala of De La Salle University will be teaming up with Joanna Peña of University of the Philippines, while Abarquez will compete alongside fellow NU player Rovie Baulete.The main draw of the Philippine Women’s Open kicks off on Monday, January 26 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.

As the country hosts its first-ever WTA 125 tournament, four Filipinas will be testing their mettle against international tennis players in the singles main draw of the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open.

As the country hosts its first-ever WTA 125 tournament, four Filipinas will be testing their mettle against international tennis players in the singles main draw of the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open.

Get to know the Filipinas competing at the Philippine Women’s Open

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Get to know the Filipinas competing at the Philippine Women’s Open

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 26, 2026 02:19 PM PHT

Read More:

ABSSports

Tennis

Philippine Women's Open

WTA 125

Alex Eala

Tenny Madis

Kaye Emana

Elizabeth Abarquez

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