EALA BOWS OUT IN QUARTERFINALS

After pulling off an epic comeback win on Wednesday, Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala bowed to world No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-3, at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Open  on Thursday at the Zayed Sports Center.

With less than 24 hours since her grueling three-set match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Eala geared herself up against the higher ranked Russian for a chance to reach the semifinals.

However, the 31-year old Alexandrova asserted her mastery over the 20-year-old Eala using sharp and loaded services.

Eala, ranked 45th in the world, now shifts her focus in the Qatar Open which begins on Monday as she secured a spot in the main draw. 

2026-02-05T15:14:43Z