Alex Eala is headed to the quarterfinals of the inaugural WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open after beating Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume, 6-4, 6-0, on Wednesday.
Tale of Two Sets for Alex Eala
The pride of Quezon City endured through a tough first set as she and Sakatsume exchanged points in a back-and-forth affair. In the end, Eala pulled through, much to the delight of the Filipino crowd.
While Eala looked hampered by a leg injury for much of the first set, she looked far superior in the second, which she took, 6-0, in a dominant display from the remaining highest seed in the tournament after Tatjana Maria’s shock loss on Wednesday to Tatiana Prozorova.
‘Physical Hurdles’ Could Be an Issue
Postmatch, Eala admitted that she is dealing with “so much physical hurdles” but assured everyone it’s nothing serious.
“It’s good. It’s normal. But you know I have so much physical hurdles,” Eala said. “So, you know, it’s normal. I’m hoping it won’t be a lot, but I’ll have my time to assess after this press con, and, you know, I have more time.”
In her first match against Alina Charaeva, Eala had to take a medical timeout, presumably due to her right leg issues. Against Sakatsume, the Rafa Nadal Academy alum had her right thigh noticeably taped up, and she again requested a medical timeout in between sets. Unsurprisingly, Eala welcomed even the little time off between matches.
“I don’t think it’s anything serious. It just helps that I have this day as a precaution,” she added. “Health is the first priority, so you want to be really safe with how I’ll approach these starts.”
‘Very Skilled Player’ Next for Alex Eala
This one-day respite is most certainly welcome as Alex Eala will next be facing Colombia’s Camila Osorio, who is currently ranked No. 82 in the world.
“I think the next match is definitely going to be difficult,” Eala acknowledged. “I think she’s very experienced and a very good player, very skilled player… I think it’s going to be a battle every match…”
The 24-year-old Colombian herself said she’d love to face the Filipina ace after beating Japan’s Mai Hontama, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals.
The two tennis bets will face off later today.
Alex Eala’s Next Game
- MATCHUP: Alex Eala (PHI) 🇵🇭 vs. Camila Osorio (COL) 🇨🇴
- TIME: Tonight, Jan 29, 2026 (Scheduled for 7:00 PM)
- VENUE: Rizal Memorial Tennis Center (Centre Court)
- STAGE: WTA 125 — Quarterfinals
