Alex Eala is hitting the ground running in Toronto. Just days after claiming her first-ever WTA Tour singles title at the Washington DC Open, defeating Jessica Pegula in a rain-delayed final on Monday, the 21-year-old Filipino star is back on court at the Canadian Open with barely a moment to breathe.
Eala has been handed a centre court singles assignment against Alycia Parks on Wednesday evening, and then returns Thursday afternoon alongside Venus Williams in the doubles draw, where the pair accepted a late wildcard into the main event. Their first-round opponents will be Liudmila Samsonova and Miyu Kato.
The reunion is particularly sweet given how abruptly their Washington pairing dissolved. The two had also accepted a wildcard at the WTA 500 event there, but Eala withdrew before playing, leaving Williams to partner Diana Shnaider instead. At the time, Eala was candid about her reasoning, saying she felt Williams deserved a partner who could give everything physically, emotionally, and mentally, something she did not yet have the capacity to deliver across both singles and doubles.
Now, with the singles title safely in hand, Eala clearly feels ready. The duo already share some history together, having partnered at the Bad Homburg Open on grass in June, where they won their opening match before falling in the quarterfinals.
Eala has spoken warmly about the pairing, noting how much she values every chance to share the court with a player of Williams' caliber and experience. She also highlighted the electric atmosphere a match featuring both herself and Williams could generate, pointing to the strong Filipino community and Williams' own massive fanbase.
On the singles side, Eala faces a tough road in Toronto, with potential clashes against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and others lurking in her section. TennisDraw users will want to update their bracket picks carefully as Eala navigates one of the most demanding draws of her young career.
