By REY C. LACHICA
It’s confirmed.
World No. 18 Alex Eala will be playing in the 2026 Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya, making September a brutal month for one of Asia’s athletic wonders.
No less than Philippine Tennis Association Secretary-General and Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco confirmed Eala’s participation in the continental showpiece, where she is fancied to deliver a precious medal for the country.
“Yes,” was the short but definitive reply from the former junior tennis standout to a question that boggled many minds after it was disclosed that the WTA Asian swing – three big tournaments – will be held in conflict with the schedule of the quadrennial event.
The tennis competition at the 20th Asian Games begins on Sept. 27 at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center, which is the last day of the Singapore Open – it will start on Sept. 21.
Other Asian tournaments scheduled during the Asian Games are the Korea Open (Sept. 21-27) and the China Open (Sept. 30-Oct. 11).
There were reports that Eala was most likely to vie in Singapore, with posters of Eala and American Jessica Pegula already all over the rich island nation.
Though Eala is expected to maintain her lofty ranking, she can’t afford to skip the Asian Games since the champion of the event can secure a continental qualification berth for the Los Angeles Olympics.
In the coming Asian Games, Eala will be aiming to improve on her two-bronze medal show – one each in singles and mixed doubles – at the Covid-delayed Hangzhou Games in China three years ago.
Eala, 21, won those medals as a rising star. Now that she’s regarded as one of the global stars, the charming Filipina is likely to author another first in her glowing record books.
