Filipina star Eala set to make Dubai Open debut

Alexandra Eala, one of the fastest-rising talents on the WTA Tour, will make her debut at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships next week, organisers have confirmed.

The 20-year-old Filipina entered the World’s Top 40 on Monday morning and will compete in Dubai among a star-studded field that features 18 of the world’s top 20, including World No1 Aryna Sabalenka and last month’s Australian Open winner Elena Rybakina.

Eala, born in Quezon City, was ranked No. 139 in the world just 12 months ago, but has soared up the rankings in recent weeks courtesy of a series of strong showings.

Starting in New Zealand, she reached the semi-finals in Auckland before adding quarter-final appearances in Manila and again last week in Abu Dhabi. She lost in Doha on Monday to Tereza Valentova 7(6), 6-1.

Running from February 15-21, Dubai’s flagship women’s tournament — marking its 26th edition this month — will once again bring together the game’s elite, with only the injured Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka missing from the top 20.

Eala takes her place in the main draw alongside the majority of the world’s top players in a stacked WTA 1000 field. That means Eala — and fans attending the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium — can prepare for Sabalenka, multiple Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek, American star Coco Gauff, reigning champion Mirra Andreeva and a host of other big names in what is one of the strongest fields of the year.

After her disappointment in Doha, Eala will relish the opportunity to test her rapidly developing game against the Tour’s established leaders again so quickly as she targets a breakthrough run at WTA 1000 level.

Her Dubai debut forms part of a demanding early-season schedule that has already seen her make her Australian Open main-draw bow and win Melbourne’s Kooyong Classic exhibition.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva will be back to defend the title she won last year after beating Tauson 7-6, 6-1 in the final to become the youngest ever WTA 1000 champion at the age of 17.

Eala is sure to once again have strong support in the UAE after enjoying impressive backing from the Filipino community in the capital.

Following the conclusion of WTA week, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships will stage its ATP 500 men’s tournament from February 23-28, completing a fortnight of world-class tennis in the emirate.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The men’s roster includes defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, world No7 Felix Auger-Aliassime and former winners Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev. Tsitsipas defeated Auger-Aliassime to win the title at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.