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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Alex Eala to meet Leylah Fernandez in doubles at Abu Dhabi Open

Alex Eala to meet Leylah Fernandez in doubles at Abu Dhabi Open

Published Feb 2, 2026 12:56 pm

At A Glance

  • The 20-year-old Eala is teaming up with Indonesian Janice Tjen, while Fernandez is partnering with multiple Grand Slam doubles champion Kristina Mladenovic in this WTA 500 event. Both pairs found themselves in the lower part of the bracket that has second seed Cristina Bucsa and Zhang Shuai, and fourth seed Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls.
Alex Eala, left, and Leylah Fernandez clash with their respective partners in the opening round doubles of the Abu Dhabi Open. (File Photo/AP)
Alex Eala, left, and Leylah Fernandez clash with their respective partners in the opening round doubles of the Abu Dhabi Open. (File Photo/AP)
Alex Eala is set to cross paths with Leylah Fernandez, a Canadian standout of Filipino descent, when they clash with their respective partners in the doubles opening round of the Abu Dhabi Open in United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
The 20-year-old Eala is teaming up with Indonesian Janice Tjen, while Fernandez is partnering with multiple Grand Slam doubles champion Kristina Mladenovic in this WTA 500 event. Both pairs found themselves in the lower part of the bracket that has second seed Cristina Bucsa and Zhang Shuai, and fourth seed Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls.
The match is expected to draw a huge crowd especially from the Filipino community eager to watch two Filipinos on the court. A few months ago, Fernandez expressed gratitude to Filipino fans who are also following her career.
“I’m extremely honored that they follow me, that they cheer for me and that back in Manila, back in the Philippines, they introduce me as their own,” said Fernandez, whose maternal grandmother hails from Leyte and her grandfather from Ilocos Norte, in a previous interview.
“They send me messages on Instagram and I always greet them... I’m excited to see that. I’m super honored and I hope one of these days, I can visit the Philippines and enjoy the culture at a deeper level,” she added.
It was also no surprise that Eala and Fernandez have already bumped into each other in the past, with both players competing in almost the same high-caliber tournaments.
“When I see her, we always talk a little bit. It helps that we are around the same age,” the world No. 23 Fernandez said in a previous interview.
“Alex is a sweet girl. On court, the few times I’ve watched her play, I know she’s fierce, she’s very determined,” she added.
Seeded sixth in the singles, Fernandez advanced to the Round of 16 on Monday, Feb. 2, after sweeping Chloe Paquet, 6-0, 6-3.
Eala, for her part, is battling Zeynep Sonmez as of this writing.
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