Filipino tennis star Alex Eala advances to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship on February 15, 2026.

Filipino flags waved proudly across Centre Court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Sunday night (February 15) as rising star Alexandra Eala delivered a composed performance to defeat American Hailey Baptiste, sending the crowd into celebration and booking her place in the second round of the WTA 1000 event. The 20-year-old Eala, currently the highest-ranked Filipino in WTA history, was making her Dubai debut. Across the net stood Baptiste, ranked World No39, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after falling in the final qualifying round. Despite Baptiste’s power advantage, Eala immediately tapped into the electric atmosphere inside the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Inspired by chants from “kabayans” in the stands, she mixed sharp groundstrokes with clever court movement to edge the opening set 6-4. The second set was cut short when Baptiste retired due to a left abdominal injury after holding serve in the opening game. An initially stunned crowd quickly returned to full voice as Eala addressed them after the match. “No-one likes advancing in this way,” she said. “Being on Tour, I am starting to discover how difficult it is to maintain your health physically. I’m really hoping that Hailey will bounce back soon.” Turning to the Filipino supporters who filled the arena, she added: “I’m super happy to be in the next round. This tournament is serving up such great experiences for me, especially playing in front of the best crowd ever. Hello everyone, hello kabayans! I’m very happy to advance to the next round.” The 26th edition of the WTA event runs from February 15 to 21 and features 16 of the world’s top 20 players. It will be followed by the ATP 500 men’s tournament from February 23 to 28. Tickets are on sale starting from Dh65. PIA/MFD/Expat Media
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