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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Rizal Memorial Sports Complex comes back to life with staging of Philippine Women's Open

Rizal Memorial Sports Complex comes back to life with staging of Philippine Women's Open

Published Jan 26, 2026 02:26 pm

At A Glance

  • The staging of the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center has brought the fabled complex back to life, reminiscent of its glory days a few decades ago when it hosted the NCAA, UAAP, PBA and MICAA, along with numerous international competitions.
Fans line up for the opening round of the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open at the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. (Mark Rey Montejo)
Fans line up for the opening round of the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open at the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. (Mark Rey Montejo)
As it nears its centennial, the Rizal Memorial Complex has been home to countless historic sporting events that have cemented its place as one of Manila’s most storied landmarks.
The staging of the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center has brought the fabled complex back to life, reminiscent of its glory days a few decades ago when it hosted the NCAA, UAAP, PBA and MICAA, along with numerous international competitions.
The inaugural WTA 125 meet, which begins on Monday, Jan. 26, features some of the finest tennis players across the globe the include Filipina ace Alex Eala, who is meeting Russian Alina Charaeva in the opening round at press time.
The anticipation of watching Eala play on home soil was evident as fans started lining up a couple of hours before her scheduled match. The day also featured matches of Filipina players Tenny Madis, Kaye Emana and Elizabeth Abarquez -- who all earned wildcard berths -- against their respective foreign counterparts.
One of the supporters was 68-year-old Ramon Gregorio, a retired seaman, who couldn’t help but recall his collegiate days watching games at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, an arena which was renovated multiple times and momentarily transformed into a fan-zone area for this tournament.
“Dati lagi akong nanonood dito, nawala nalang kasi nagta-trabaho na ‘ko. Ang laki rin ng pinagbago pati ‘yong mga kalsada dyan… hindi lang 50 percent, 99.9 percent [‘yong pinagbago],” said Gregorio.
“Maganda, malaking improvement, pati narin sa ekonomiya natin, kasi mga taga-ibang bansa andyan naglalaro [sa WTA event], kaya tignan mo mga tao nagkakagulo” he added.
Watching Eala live was a big deal for Gregorio as the last time he became a spectator was 40 years ago in a basketball game he now hardly remembered.
“Hindi ko na matandaan, mga 70s ganun,” Gregorio continued.
Gregorio admitted the area has changed dramatically, but the same familiar feeling still comes back whenever he watches sporting events there, as well as the challenge.
“Oo syempre ganyan din [pahirapan kumuha ng tickets],” he quipped.
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) poured all its efforts, with the help of other agencies, and Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA), to further improve various structures around the complex. The thorough-way en route and around the tennis courts were cleared to ensure a smooth flow within the location.
However, traffic was expected to be heavy, as usual, along Adriatico and P. Ocampo streets later in the evening. Commuters, though, had a sigh of relief with the nearby LRT Vito Cruz station providing easy access to the venue.
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