After bowing out in the third round of the 2026 US Open, Alex Eala is set to compete at the Singapore Tennis Open and the Asian Games.
Speaking to the media after her loss to Iva Jovic, Eala shared her plans to compete in Singapore before representing the Philippines in the Asian Games in Japan.
“Yes, before (Asian Games) I believe, I will be in Singapore,” Eala said via Tennis Head. “But yeah, I love playing and competing with the Philippines team and in the SEA, the Asian Games I’ve also done, I think it’s a really fun environment, I love being with the team.”
“Especially this last SEA Games in December, I had such a great time and I think they’re really memories that will stick with me,” she added. “You know, the Asian Games happens once every four years and yeah, I just found myself drawn to compete in that over other stuff.”
To play in the Asian Games, Eala had to skip the 2026 China Open. She’s one of the only two players in the women’s Top 20 rankings who will miss the tournament in Beijing, as per the Daily Tribune.
World No. 15 Victoria Mboko is currently injured.
Alex Eala Could Get Punished by WTA
According to Tennis365, the China Open is a WTA 1000 event, which makes it a mandatory tournament.
The WTA only allows players to skip tournaments due to injury, and those who don’t play will receive zero ranking points. It may or may not affect Eala’s rankings, depending on how other players perform in the US Open and Singapore Open.
In addition to zero ranking points, Eala could also get fined $10,000, which is the late-withdrawal fine for players ranked 11th to 25th, according to the WTA rulebook for 2026.
It’s not a huge monetary fine for someone like Eala, who had the best year of her career on and off the court. She’s even predicted to become the second-highest-earning women’s tennis player behind Coco Gauff.
PHILTA Waiting for WTA Decision
The Philippine Tennis Association has filed an exemption for Alex Eala to the WTA, as reported by GMA Network.
PHILTA’s secretary-general John Tiangco has released the following statement regarding the matter:
“We have formally informed the WTA that Alex will be representing the Philippines at the Asian Games and have requested an exemption so she will not be penalized for missing a WTA 1000 event,” Tiangco said.
“Alex herself has made it clear that representing the Philippines is an honor and that she is choosing to play for the flag,” he added. “We fully support that decision and are doing everything we can to ensure that choosing to represent her country does not come at the expense of her standing on the WTA Tour.”
Eala is a two-time Asian Games bronze medalist, finishing third in the women’s singles and mixed doubles. She also won gold in women’s singles at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Alex Eala Facing Potential Punishment for Skipping 2026 China Open