Alex Eala will return to the Singapore Tennis Open under vastly different circumstances—no longer as a qualifier, but as the tournament’s No. 3 seed and one of its leading title contenders.
The Filipina tennis standout earned an automatic place in the second round after the top four seeds were awarded opening-round byes in the newly elevated WTA 500 hard-court tournament.
It represents a remarkable change from Eala’s campaign in Singapore last year, when she had to compete in the qualifying draw and suffered a straight-sets defeat to Switzerland’s Simona Waltert.
Now 21, Eala enters the event with greater expectations following a breakthrough season that strengthened her standing on the women’s tour.
She was initially projected to be seeded sixth, but the withdrawals of Jessica Pegula, Diana Shnaider and Sorana Cirstea lifted her to No. 3 in the final seedings.
Pegula, who would have been the tournament’s top seed, withdrew after a demanding North American campaign. The American reached the US Open semifinals after finishing runner-up in Washington and Cincinnati.
Her Washington loss came against Eala, who defeated the world-class American in three sets to capture one of the biggest titles of her career.
With Pegula out of the field, Russian world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva moved into the top-seeded position. Amanda Anisimova of the United States is seeded second, setting up the possibility of another encounter with Eala after beating the Filipina in the third round of the Cincinnati Open.
Reigning champion Elise Mertens occupies the No. 4 spot, while French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska is seeded fifth.
Also attracting Filipino interest is sixth seed Leylah Fernandez. The Canadian received a wild card for the competition and traces her maternal roots to Leyte and Ilocos Norte.
Eala arrived in Singapore on Thursday after spending a short break in the Philippines. She was already back on the practice court at The Kallang the following day as preparations intensified for her opening match.
The first-round bye means Eala is expected to make her main-draw debut on Wednesday.
From missing the tournament proper last year to beginning this edition only one victory away from the quarterfinals, Eala’s return to Singapore offers another striking measure of her rapid ascent on the global tennis stage.
