Alex Eala of the Philippines and Indonesia’s Janice Tjen saw their breakthrough doubles campaign at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open come to an end on Friday after bowing to the experienced pairing of Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova and Great Britain’s Olivia Nicholls, 6-4, 6-2, in the semifinals at the Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre.
The Filipino-Indonesian tandem, fondly known as the “SEA-blings,” struggled to contain the steady serving and crisp net play of the Slovak-British duo, who dictated the tempo and wrapped up the contest in just over an hour.
Mihalikova and Nicholls broke early in both sets, capitalizing on key points to keep Eala and Tjen from mounting a sustained comeback.
Despite the straight-sets loss, the semifinal appearance marked another encouraging milestone for the Southeast Asian pair, who have steadily built chemistry on tour.
Their run in Abu Dhabi underscored their growing confidence against higher-ranked opposition and highlighted the potential of a partnership that has begun to draw attention beyond the region.
Eala and Tjen earned their spot in the last four with an impressive quarterfinal victory over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and China’s Shuai Zhang, a win that showcased their composure in tight exchanges and their ability to match seasoned doubles specialists shot for shot.
Mihalikova and Nicholls, meanwhile, advanced after eliminating Slovenia’s Andreja Klepac and Russia’s Irina Khromacheva, setting up a semifinal clash between two in-form teams.
While the Abu Dhabi campaign ended short of the final, the SEA-blings’ performance added to a growing list of positives early in the 2026 season.
For Eala, already balancing singles and doubles commitments on the WTA circuit, and for Tjen, continuing her rise on the international stage, the week served as another signal that Southeast Asian players are increasingly making their presence felt in elite women’s tennis.
