MANILA – Filipino tennis star Alex Eala may have bowed out in the quarterfinals, but her inspiring run in the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open has captured the hearts of fans nationwide. The spotlight now turns to Colombian Camila Osorio and Croatian Donna Vekic, who will meet in Saturday’s historic singles final at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.
Eala, the Philippines’ second seed and a rising star on the WTA circuit, displayed poise and determination throughout the tournament. She advanced past the early rounds with sharp groundstrokes and steady nerves, thrilling local fans who packed the stands to cheer for their hometown hero.
Her journey ended in a hard-fought quarterfinal match against fifth-seeded Osorio, who overcame Eala 6-4, 6-4. “I gave it my all, and the support from the crowd was amazing,” Eala said after the match, reflecting her pride in representing the Philippines on home soil.
Osorio carried that momentum into the semifinals, dismantling Argentina’s third seed Solana Sierra 6-0, 6-1 in just 46 minutes to secure a spot in the final. Fourth-seeded Vekic, ranked World No. 72, also advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova.
“She’s a very strong player, so I’ll give my best,” Osorio said ahead of the championship match, which promises an intense showdown.
The winner will take home USD 15,500 (around PHP 913,000) and 125 WTA points, while the runner-up will earn USD 8,400 (approximately PHP 495,000) and 81 points.
In doubles, second seeds Eudice Chong of Hong Kong and Liang En-shuo of Chinese Taipei pulled off a thrilling upset over American top seeds Quinn Gleason and Sabrina Santamaria, winning 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 10-6 to claim the title.
Alex Eala’s Philippine Women’s Open Journey:
Round of 32: Defeated Japan’s Himari Sato – 6-2, 6-3
Round of 16: Defeated Chinese Taipei’s Liang En-shuo – 6-4, 6-4
Quarterfinals: Lost to Camila Osorio – 4-6, 4-6
Despite her exit, Eala’s performance has solidified her status as a rising force in tennis and a source of national pride, leaving fans excited for her future on the world stage.
