By MARK REY MONTEJO
Alex Eala is doubtful for the inaugural staging of the Philippine Women’s Open due to her scheduling conflicts in January.
The WTA 125 event, which the country is hosting for the first time, might miss the presence of the best Filipina tennis player as it runs smack into the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season.
The Philippine Open is slated from Jan. 26 to 31, while the Aussie tournament stretches from Jan. 12 to Feb. 1.
But for the Philippine Tennis Association, whether Eala makes it to the PH Open in time or skips it if she progresses in the Grand Slam event, it is win-win for the Filipinos.
“The reality is, if Alex advances to the second week of the Australian Open, she will not be able to play in our tournament of which the main draw starts Jan. 26,” said PHILTA board member Dyan Castillejo during the event’s press conference at the Lanson Place in Pasay City Friday, Dec. 5.
“So we’re kind of wanting to advance, we also want to see her play here, but either way it’s a win-win for Philippine tennis,” she added. “Because if she advances in the AO, that could mean she’s into the fourth round or in the quarters, so we have to applaud that.”
A good problem, indeed, but not for the fans who eagerly want to see and support the 5-foot-9 lefty, who put back the Philippines in the tennis map with her unprecedented WTA 125 triumph in Mexico’s Guadalajara Open, in the flesh.
“But as she [Alex] said in her video, she’s really proud of the tournament [PH Open] and proud i-represent ang Philippines sa mga international competitions,” Castillejo continued.
According to Castillejo, several high-ranked players have entered the tournament, and the names of the participants will be announced soon.
Eala is set to suit up for the Nationals in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games where she and men’s volleyball star Bryan Bagunas were named as flag-bearers.
The SEA Games multi-bronze medalist was fielded as well in the Macau Tennis Masters, where her fellow rising star Mirra Andreeva of Russia, alongside retired greats Li Na of China and Spain’s Conchita Martinez were also taking part, on Dec. 27 to 28.
