Alexandra “Alex” Eala secured at least a bronze medal for the Philippines after reaching the women’s singles semifinals at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Eala advanced after defeating Taiwan’s Joanna Garland, 7-5, 6-0, in the quarterfinals. She had earlier opened her Asian Games campaign with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej.
Her Asian Games runs added to a breakthrough 2026 season, highlighted by becoming the first Filipino to win a WTA singles title. Eala claimed the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, D.C, after defeating Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, in the final.
Eala also reached a career-high world No. 18 in the singles, along with the Round of 16 at Wimbledon and the Round of 32 at the 2026 US Open. She trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, under coach Joan Bosch.
While Eala and Shaira Rivera were eliminated in the women’s doubles second round, her singles performance kept her medal hopes alive as she continued to represent the Philippines on the international tennis stage.
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