For a change, Alex Eala did not go through qualifying rounds to make it to the main draw.
The Filipina star will open her clay season as No. 1 seed in the 2025 Oeiras Ladies Open, a WTA 125 event, from April 14 to 20 in Portugal.
Coming off a sensational run at the Miami Open that saw her topple several Grand Slam winners, Eala be facing Dutch Anouk Koevermans in the opening round on Monday at 5 p.m (Manila time).
The match – it will be shown live on Premier Sports 2 – will also be Eala’s first tournament since that historic feat. PS 2 is available through Blast TV and STVP.
In the Miami Open, Eala, 19, beat the likes of World No. 2 Iga Swiatek and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys. She also defeated Jelena Ostapenko – another former Grand Slam winner.
In the semis, Eala lost to Jessica Pegula in three grueling sets.
For her courageous effort, Eala is now ranked No. 73 in the world.
Some participants are very familiar to Eala like American world No. 80 Katie Volynets and Hungarian Anna Bondar.
Eala downed Volynets in straights in the Miami opener.
