By Danielle Tiu
MANILA, Philippines — Fresh off a strong semifinal finish at the ASB Classic in Auckland, Alex Eala is wasting no time as she heads to Melbourne for the Kooyong Classic, her final preparation event ahead of her Australian Open main draw debut.
The 20-year-old Filipina, currently ranked No. 53 in the WTA, is among the invitees to the January 13–15 exhibition tournament, which serves as a lead-in to the season’s first Grand Slam. Eala will be the youngest player in the field that includes Donna Vekic, Priscilla Hon, and tennis great Daniela Hantuchova.
Eala reached the Auckland semifinals as the No. 4 seed, winning three straight matches before bowing to China’s Wang Xinyu in a tight three-setter, continuing a promising start to her 2026 campaign.
