Alexandra Eala starts her Singapore Tennis Open campaign on Thursday night against Tatiana Prozorova. Eala enters the Round of 16 directly after earning a first-round bye. Her opponent advanced to this stage by defeating Sofia Costoulas in the opening round to earn a matchup against the world No. 18.
Singapore Campaign Begins Following North American Swing
The tournament marks the beginning of the Filipina player’s Asian swing, with several tournaments lined up for the Filipina, including the Asian Games and the Hong Kong Tennis Open. Eala last competed earlier this month in New York, where she reached the Round of 16 before falling to Iva Jovic.
Coach Sandro Viaene Evaluates Recent On-Court Development
Reflecting on her progress across the 2026 season, coaching team member Sandro Viaene discussed Eala’s development during an appearance on journalist Dyan Castillejo’s YouTube channel. Viaene noted that while indoor conditions remove variables like wind and keep ball behavior consistent, the environment suits her game. Eala has had a year to remember on the WTA Tour, having completed various milestones that have furthered her career massively, going from being this talented but unproven youngster into a genuine and tangible threat to the world’s top players. This is the result of months and years of hard work under the tutelage of the Rafa Nadal Academy, with the bulk of her current coaching team still made up of people from that initiative.
Discussing whether they’ve changed anything for the dramatic change in conditions, Viaene admitted: “Well, inside is a bit different, because there is no wind, there is no… It’s a bit more, the ball is always more the same. But it suits the Alex’s game; it’s good for these surfaces, for these conditions. So we didn’t change anything. So keep playing how she was playing, but on indoor courts.”
The team recently spent three days in Manila, practicing twice on indoor facilities in San Agustin with local support. Asked how their recent practices have been, particularly on her return to Manila, Viaene added: “It depends on the day. We plan the day before, and nothing, nothing special. We were [in Manila for] three days, I think, and we practised twice in San Agustin. The people there was amazing with us, giving the indoor facilities. And, yeah, it was good to practice this, good environment, good support, so amazing, everything.”
A Busy Year of Milestones on the WTA Tour
Eala’s appearance in Singapore caps off a demanding calendar that featured deep runs across multiple surfaces. Her singles season recap includes:
- North American swing: US Open — Round of 32; Cincinnati Open — Round of 32; Canadian Open — Round of 16; DC Open — Champion
- Grass-court swing: Wimbledon (Grand Slam) — Round of 16; Bad Homburg Open (WTA 500) — Round of 32; Berlin Tennis Open (WTA 500) — Semifinals; HSBC Championships (WTA 500) — Round of 16; Birmingham Open (WTA 125) — Champion
- Clay-court swing: French Open (Grand Slam) — Round of 128; Italian Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 32; Madrid Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 64; Stuttgart Open (WTA 500) — Round of 32; Linz Open (WTA 500) — Round of 16
- Sunshine Swing: Miami Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 16; Indian Wells Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 16
- Middle East Swing: Dubai Tennis Championships (WTA 1000) — Quarterfinals; Qatar Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 64; Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) — Quarterfinals; Philippine Women’s Open (WTA 125) — Quarterfinals
- Australian Swing: Australian Open (Grand Slam) — Round of 128; ASB Classic (WTA 250) — Semifinals
That sustained activity has transformed her status on tour from a promising youngster into a recognized competitor capable of challenging seeded players week in and week out, supported by an unwavering fanbase that feels she could beat anyone.