Camille Naredo

Alex Eala during the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Colombian tennis player Camila Osorio face Alex Eala in the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. A major crowd drawer, Eala failed to reach the semifinals after losing to Osorio (4-6, 4-6). Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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WTA125-PH OPEN QUARTERFINALS- OSORIO vs EALA

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177144214725120260129-w125-ph-quarterfinals-eala-vs-osorio-JC-13.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Alex Eala during the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Alex Eala during the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>(<strong>UPDATED</strong>) Alex Eala&#x27;s campaign in the Dubai Tennis Championships is still going strong.</p><p>The Filipina tennis star marched to the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 tournament on Thursday morning (Manila time), after a 7-5, 6-4 victory over veteran Sorana Cîrstea of Romania at center court in the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in Dubai.</p><p>It was yet another superb display for the 20-year-old, who showed great poise in the closing stretch of the second set when Cîrstea looked to be mounting a comeback.</p><p>&quot;The key to today was staying calm and trusting my shots,&quot; said Eala after the match. &quot;I think I was very solid in particular moments where I needed to be, and I think that reflected in my performance and in the score.&quot;</p><p>The first set was a tense affair, with Cîrstea appearing to have taken control after holding for a 5-4 advantage. But Eala responded by holding to love in the next game to level the count, and then broke her veteran opponent in the ensuing game to seize the lead, 6-5.</p><p>Eala quickly racked up three points in the 12th game, benefiting from a series of errors by Cîrstea. The Romanian, who is currently ranked 32nd by the WTA, saved back-to-back set points but committed another miscue that handed Eala the opening set after 54 minutes.</p><p>With momentum firmly on her side, Eala won the first four games of the second set as Cîrstea continued to give away points off her errors, while the Filipina&#x27;s forehand was repeatedly on target. </p><p>Cîrstea finally held to get on board, but Eala won a crucial sixth game on her serve for a 5-1 advantage that proved pivotal. The Romanian saved two breakpoints and went up a break on a forehand winner, but Eala stayed firm, converting a backhand winner for a deuce. From there, Cîrstea&#x27;s errors would again doom her, keeping Eala in control.</p><p>Cîrstea strung together three straight games to threaten at 5-4. Eala, however, would not be denied. She held to love in the 10th game, firing a forehand winner to punch her ticket to the next round.</p><p>&quot;Every round is a battle, so filled with tension,&quot; Eala said. &quot;I&#x27;m really happy with how I performed, and I&#x27;m really happy to be able to share it with all of you.&quot;</p><p>The Filipina has enjoyed great support from her countrymen throughout her campaign in Dubai, and after her win over Cîrstea she was again effusive in her gratitude.</p><p>&quot;The waves of support have really made every single match all the more special,&quot; said Eala. &quot;Salamat sa pagpuyat, mga kababayan. Uwi na tayo, tara.&quot;</p><p>Up next for Eala is a showdown with American star Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. Gauff, currently the world No. 4, overcame great adversity in battling past Belgium&#x27;s Elise Mertens in her own third round match, 2-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-3.</p><p>Afterward, Gauff had also thanked the fans who cheered her on.</p><p>&quot;I know you guys are probably here for Alex, so I&#x27;m sorry to make you wait,&quot; said Gauff, whose match against Mertens lasted two hours and 18 minutes. &quot;But if I&#x27;m not mistaken, I think some of you guys are cheering for me so I appreciate it a lot.&quot;</p><p>It will be a match between former doubles partners, as Eala and Gauff had <a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/5/14/tennis-alex-eala-coco-gauff-bow-out-of-italian-open-doubles-0041">teamed up in the Italian Open</a> last May 2025, reaching the quarterfinals.</p><p>Eala advanced to the third round after a sensational triumph over world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). In the first round, she progressed after her American opponent, Hailey Baptiste, retired with an injury. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/18/-emb-alex-eala-stuns-world-no-8-paolini-to-advance-to-dubai-championships-quarterfnals-0216">READ: Alex Eala stuns world no. 8 Paolini to advance in Dubai Championships</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8_UwRNxZSsA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Alex Eala's campaign in the Dubai Tennis Championships is still going strong.</p>

Tennis: Alex Eala takes down Cîrstea, marches to Dubai quarterfinals

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Tennis: Alex Eala takes down Cîrstea, marches to Dubai quarterfinals

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 19, 2026 03:28 AM PHT

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Updated February 19, 2026 03:56 AM PHT

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Dubai Tennis Championships

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Sorana Cîrstea

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