Photo by Francois Nel,Clicks Images/Getty Images
By Joel Reyes
Alex Eala will resume her campaign at the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday (PH time), with the Quezon City native set to face sixth seed Jasmine Paolini in the round of 32.
This will be the first meeting between Eala and Paolini on the WTA Tour. Eala booked her place in the second round after beating Hailey Baptiste in the round of 64. The American qualifier retired injured after taking the opening game of the second set, handing Eala a spot in the round of 32.
Next up for Eala is a showdown with Paolini, who received a bye in the first round as the No. 6 seed in the tournament. The Italian has fared well in this event, having won her first WTA 1000 title in Dubai back in 2024.
Paolini followed up that title win with back-to-back Grand Slam Final appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon that same year, cementing her status as one of the sport’s top stars.