The inaugural Philippine Women’s Open, set to make history as the first WTA 125 event on home soil from January 26 to February 1 at the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, may have to open without its brightest star.
Alex Eala, the 20-year-old Filipina sensation currently ranked world No. 98 and the undisputed flag-bearer of Philippine tennis, is now officially doubtful for the tournament due to a direct scheduling conflict with the Australian Open.
“The reality is, if Alex advances to the second week of the Australian Open, she will not be able to play in our tournament, of which the main draw starts Jan. 26,” PHILTA board member and former national player Dyan Castillejo confirmed during the official launch of the Philippine Women’s Open held last Friday at Lanson Place in Pasay City.
The math is unforgiving. The Australian Open women’s singles final is scheduled for Saturday, January 25 — exactly one day before the Philippine Women’s Open main draw begins. A deep run in Melbourne — reaching the fourth round, quarter-finals, or beyond — would make travel and recovery impossible in time for Manila.
“So we’re kind of wanting to advance, we also want to see her play here, but either way it’s a win-win for Philippine tennis,” Castillejo said with a smile that mixed pride and resignation. “Because if she advances in the AO, that could mean she’s into the fourth round or in the quarters, so we have to applaud that. That’s bigger for her career and for the country.”
Eala, who ended 2024 with her maiden WTA 125 title in Shenzhen and climbed inside the Top 100 for the first time, is seeded for Australian Open qualifying and has a realistic shot at reaching the main draw. A second-week appearance in Melbourne would mark the deepest Grand Slam run of her young career and almost certainly push her ranking into the 60s or higher.
For the organizers of the Philippine Women’s Open — a joint project of the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA), the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation, and international promoter Top Shelf — the possibility of losing their marquee name so close to the event is a bittersweet pill.
Tournament director Jean Henri Lhuillier admitted the team had always treated Eala’s participation as “hopeful but never guaranteed,” given the calendar clash that was evident the moment both events were confirmed.
“We built the tournament knowing this risk existed,” Lhuillier said. “But we also built it for the long term. If Alex can’t play this year, she will be the first name we invite in 2027, 2028, and beyond. This is her home tournament, whether she plays the first edition or the fifth.”
In the meantime, the field remains strong even without Eala. Former world No. 18 and two-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist Wang Xiyu of China has already committed as the projected top seed, while several Top 150 players from Asia and Europe are in advanced talks.
Still, the prospect of Eala walking onto center court at Rizal Memorial in the Philippine colors, with a packed home crowd chanting her name, was the dream scenario that had fueled months of planning.
For now, Filipino fans face a delicious dilemma: cheer for their heroine to conquer Melbourne and sacrifice her home debut, or quietly hope for an early exit Down Under so she can come home and lift the first-ever Philippine Women’s Open trophy.
As Castillejo put it: “We want her in Manila, but we want her to win in Australia even more. That’s the beauty — and the pain — of Philippine tennis right now.”
