Alex Eala made a memorable debut in her first-ever hometown match as a pro, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Alina Charaeva in the Round of 32 of the 2026 Philippine Women’s Open on Monday at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila.
In front of a sellout crowd, the 33rd SEA Games gold medalist delivered a masterclass against the tough Russian opponent.
Up a service break in the second set, Eala unleashed two consecutive massive forehand winners to take a 5-3 lead.
The 20-year-old wasted no time finishing the match on her own terms — on her serve and, fittingly, with another powerful down-the-line winner that Charaeva could not return.
Eala started strong, breaking Charaeva’s serve to go up 3-1 in the opening set.
Buoyed by the momentum and the roaring support of the hometown crowd, the Filipino ace cruised through the next three games to take the first set convincingly.
“I think a lot has changed in the past five years. I would say that I’m physically stronger, I’m smarter, more well-rounded player,” said Eala.
“So coming into the match, I treated it like every other match. With, you know, fighting spirit and a good mindset.”
Fresh from her Australian Open stint, Eala used timely returns to gradually dismantle Charaeva’s game, a strategy she carried into the second set.
The 23-year-old Russian got off to a better start in the second, winning the opening game on her serve and breaking Eala in the next to take a 2-0 lead.
Eala leaned on her strong returns to break back in the third game and consolidated the break on her own serve, despite occasional struggles to finish the rallies.
Facing two break points, the world No. 49 produced the crucial points needed to level the set at 2-all, fueling her momentum toward the eventual victory.
“I’m gonna train and recover. Yeah, be ready for the next round,” said Eala, who experienced pain in her right knee during the match.
From there, Eala dictated the pace with her serve and displayed variety on her returns, including well-timed drop shots, effectively disrupting Charaeva’s rhythm and securing a commanding win.
Eala now awaits the winner of the Himeno Sakatsume and Nao Hibino match, which takes place on Tuesday.
