No WTA penalty for Alex Eala after choosing country over China Open

Filipino tennis star Alex Eala will not face a penalty from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for skipping the mandatory China Open to represent the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games, Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) Executive Director Tonnette Mendoza said.

During the Senate Committee on Sports hearing, Sen. Bong Go asked Mendoza whether the WTA had sanctioned Eala for missing the WTA 1000 tournament, which coincided with the continental competition in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Mendoza explained that PHILTA had reached out to the WTA to seek clarification on the rules and request a waiver of any possible sanctions after Eala independently chose to compete for the country in an event that serves as an Olympic qualifier.

“The WTA just asked us a few questions: if she made a decision on her own, meaning it was not under pressure from anybody in the government or the national federation, and if it is an Olympic qualifier for our country,” Mendoza said.

According to Mendoza, PHILTA confirmed that Eala made the decision voluntarily and that the Asian Games served as an Olympic qualifying event. The WTA, however, did not provide a subsequent response.

Mendoza said the association understood the WTA’s penalties for missing mandatory tournaments to be primarily intended for players who skip competitions to participate in exhibition matches, rather than those who prioritise national team commitments.

“Reading the rules of the WTA, the penalties and whatever points when you miss the mandatory tournament are really designed for players who omit these tournaments because they want to play in exhibitions,” Mendoza said. “It’s silent on representing the country.”

She also disclosed that the International Tennis Federation (ITF), now known as World Tennis, expressed support for athletes who choose to represent their countries over mandatory professional events during a meeting the previous week.

Eala went on to win bronze at the 2026 Asian Games, marking her second consecutive podium finish at the continental competition. She lost in the semi-finals to China’s Wang Xiyu, who later captured the gold medal and secured direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.