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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Rizal Memorial Tennis Center tested ahead of Inaugural Philippine Women's Open

Rizal Memorial Tennis Center tested ahead of Inaugural Philippine Women's Open

Published Jan 12, 2026 10:46 am

At A Glance

  • Philippine sports officials will begin operational testing of the newly renovated courts at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Monday, January 12, just two weeks ahead of the historic Philippine Women's Open (PWO).
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Philippine sports officials will begin operational testing of the newly renovated courts at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Monday, January 12, just two weeks ahead of the historic Philippine Women’s Open (PWO).
Over the next three days, the Philippines' top female players will face off for national ranking points and a coveted wildcard entry into the country’s maiden WTA 125 event.
“The matches will not only test the facilities of the tennis center but also serve as a qualifying event for local players aiming to compete in the Philippine Women’s Open,” said Dyan Castillejo, Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) board member and PWO co-Tournament Director.
The Philippines' top two players—Alex Eala and rising star Tennielle Madis of M’lang, Cotabato—have already been granted wildcards and will not compete in the playoffs.
However, Castillejo noted that Eala’s participation remains dependent on her performance at the Australian Open; the PWO main draw coincides with the second week of the "Happy Slam" in Melbourne.
A primary goal of this week’s matches is to stress-test the venue’s recent upgrades. "We need to evaluate the ball bounce and traction on the newly resurfaced hard courts under competitive conditions," Castillejo explained. "This testing phase allows us to make any final technical adjustments to the surface to meet the international standards required for a WTA 125 event."
Three matches are scheduled for Monday. No. 2 seed and 2025 SEA Games bronze medalist Stefi Aludo faces Justine Hannah Maneja, while Nina Angeline Alcala takes on Elizabeth Abarquez.
In the third match, Kaye Anne Emana tackles Joanna Peña.
Top seed Tiffany Nocos drew an opening-round bye and will face the winner of the Emana-Peña match in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Castillejo expressed gratitude to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for their swift action on the Rizal Memorial renovations and their technical support.
At least 24 players from 19 different countries have signed up for the PWO.
The entry list features Croatian Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic, who may face a rematch after her recent three-set thriller against Eala in Auckland.
Also competing are China’s Wang Xinyu, who defeated Eala in the Auckland quarterfinals, and German veteran Tatjana Maria, a former Wimbledon semifinalist.
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