Alex Eala is officially back representing the Philippines, and this time, the stakes are much bigger than another regular tournament on the WTA calendar.
The Filipina tennis star begins her women’s singles campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as the No. 1 seed and the highest-ranked player in the women’s singles field.
Her first opponent: Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej.
If you’re following Alex from the Philippines, here’s everything you need to know about her Asian Games 2026 schedule, opponent, Philippine time, results, doubles campaign and possible road toward a medal.
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Alex Eala Asian Games 2026 Schedule and Results
Here’s the current status of Eala’s women’s singles campaign:
| Date | Round | Opponent | Philippine Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 27 | First Round | Bye | — | Advanced |
| September 28 | Round of 16 / Second Round | Patcharin Cheapchandej (Thailand) | Third match on Centre Court; session starts 9:00 AM | To be updated |
| Next round | Quarterfinals | Joanna Garland (Chinese Taipei) or Mandegar Farzami (Iran) | TBA | — |
Eala received a first-round bye after being installed as the top seed in the women’s singles tournament.
That means her first actual match comes in the Round of 16 against Cheapchandej.
At the time of this update around midday on September 28, a completed official result for the Eala-Cheapchandej match had not yet been reported by the sources checked, so I’ll leave the result open rather than post an unconfirmed score.
What Time Is Alex Eala vs Patcharin Cheapchandej?
Alex Eala vs Patcharin Cheapchandej is scheduled for Monday, September 28, at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
But there’s an important detail here.
Eala does not have a fixed 9:00 AM Philippine time starting time.
She is scheduled as the third match on Centre Court.
Centre Court begins at 9:00 AM Philippine time with Japan’s Hayato Matsuoka against Hong Kong’s Kairan Thompson in men’s singles. That will be followed by a women’s doubles match featuring Japan’s Momoko Kobori and Ayano Shimizu against Nepal’s Swastika Bista and Shivali Gurung.
Eala and Cheapchandej will play after those two matches are completed.
So if you’re watching from the Philippines, I wouldn’t tune in expecting Alex to immediately appear at exactly 9:00 AM.
Her actual starting time depends entirely on how quickly—or how long—the first two matches take.
Japan is also one hour ahead of the Philippines, so a 10:00 AM start in Nagoya corresponds to 9:00 AM in Manila.
Who Is Alex Eala’s Opponent?
Eala’s opening opponent is Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej.
Cheapchandej earned her place in the Round of 16 after defeating Pakistan’s Mahin Aftab Qureshi, 6-1, 6-1, in just 53 minutes in the opening round.
That was certainly a convincing start for the Thai player.
But Eala enters their match with a significant advantage in terms of world ranking.
As of the Asian Games, Eala is ranked No. 18 in the WTA rankings, while Cheapchandej is ranked around No. 510. Eala is also the No. 1 seed in Nagoya.
Cheapchandej, however, is not a completely unfamiliar opponent.
The two have played each other before.
Alex Eala vs Patcharin Cheapchandej Head-to-Head
Eala currently leads their head-to-head matchup 1-0.
Their previous meeting came at the ITF W25 tournament in Chiang Rai, Thailand, in 2022.
Eala won that Round-of-16 match:
Alex Eala def. Patcharin Cheapchandej
6-3, 6-4
Eala eventually went on to win the tournament.
Of course, a match played four years ago only tells us so much. Both players have gone through plenty of matches since then, and Eala in particular has climbed significantly higher on the professional tour.
Still, it gives Alex the advantage of already knowing what it feels like to play—and beat—her Thai opponent.
What Happens If Alex Eala Wins?
A victory over Cheapchandej sends Eala into the women’s singles quarterfinals.
Her next opponent would come from the match between:
- Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei
- Mandegar Farzami of Iran
The exact quarterfinal schedule and court assignment will depend on the official order of play released by the Asian Games organizers.
This is something worth checking carefully because tennis schedules can shift, especially after the weather disruptions that already affected matches on September 27.
Asian Games organizers announced that rain forced remaining matches on September 27 onto indoor courts, while several mixed doubles matches had to be rescheduled.
Why Alex Eala Is the No. 1 Seed
This Asian Games feels very different from Alex’s previous appearance.
Eala entered the 2026 tournament as the highest-ranked player in the women’s singles draw at world No. 18.
China’s Zhang Shuai, ranked No. 55, was seeded second, with Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva and China’s Wang Xiyu among the other seeded players in the draw.
Being the No. 1 seed is significant.
It gave Eala a first-round bye and allowed her to avoid playing on September 27, giving her more recovery time after arriving in Japan from Singapore.
And that extra rest may have been especially useful after what happened at the Singapore Open.
Eala Arrives From the Singapore Open
Alex arrived in Nagoya shortly after competing at the Singapore Tennis Open.
Her Singapore campaign ended with a marathon three-set defeat against Tatiana Prozorova of Russia:
4-6, 7-5, 6-3 from Prozorova’s perspective, or 6-4, 5-7, 3-6 from Eala’s.
The match lasted more than three hours.
Instead of heading to the China Open in Beijing, however, Eala chose to represent the Philippines at the Asian Games.
And for Filipino sports fans, that makes her Nagoya campaign especially interesting.
Professional tennis normally revolves around ranking points, prize money and the WTA calendar.
The Asian Games is different.
Here, Eala is competing under the Philippine flag.
Alex Eala’s Women’s Doubles Campaign
Singles isn’t the only event Alex is playing in Nagoya.
She is also competing in the women’s doubles tournament with fellow Filipina Shaira Hope Rivera.
Their opening opponents are:
Alex Eala / Shaira Hope Rivera
vs.
Lai Ching Laam / Kallista Liu of Hong Kong
If the Philippine pair advances, they are scheduled to face third-seeded Chinese duo Jiang Xinyu and Yang Zhaoxuan.
That means Filipino fans potentially have two Eala medal campaigns to follow: women’s singles and women’s doubles.
Asian Games Tennis Schedule
The regular tennis competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games runs from September 27 through October 3 at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.
The official venue schedule lists tennis competition on all seven days from September 27 to October 3, with sessions beginning at 10:00 AM Japan time, or 9:00 AM Philippine time.
Keep in mind that these are overall competition start times.
They are not necessarily Alex Eala’s individual match times.
Tennis uses an order-of-play system. If Alex is listed as the third or fourth match on a particular court, her match will begin only after the earlier matches finish.
That’s why Philippine fans should always check Alex’s court assignment and match position—not just the day’s general tennis starting time.
Where Is Alex Eala Playing?
The tennis competition is being held at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, Japan.
The venue was renovated in preparation for the Asian Games and is being used for tennis as well as other racket-sport competitions during the Games.
Tennis competition continues there until October 3.
Where to Watch Alex Eala at the Asian Games
Philippine coverage of the Asian Games is available through platforms connected with Cignal and One Sports, including television and digital coverage.
For Eala’s matches specifically, additional production equipment was deployed at the tennis venue because tennis was reportedly not originally among the events guaranteed to receive a continuous host-broadcaster world feed.
Coverage availability may still vary depending on the court and match schedule, so it’s worth checking One Sports, Cignal Play and Pilipinas Live close to match time.
Eala Is Trying to Improve on Her Previous Asian Games Medal
This is Alex Eala’s second Asian Games appearance.
Her first came during the Hangzhou Asian Games, officially the 2022 Asian Games but held in 2023 after being postponed.
Eala won bronze in the women’s singles event after an impressive run that ended in the semifinals against China’s Zheng Qinwen.
She pushed Zheng to three sets before losing:
1-6, 7-6(5), 3-6
That bronze was already a major moment for Philippine tennis.
She also won a bronze medal in mixed doubles alongside Francis Alcantara.
Now she returns three years later in a completely different position.
She is no longer simply one of Asia’s rising young tennis prospects.
She comes into Nagoya as a WTA Top-20 player and the No. 1 seed.
Could an Asian Games Gold Help Eala Reach the 2028 Olympics?
There is another interesting storyline surrounding Alex’s Asian Games campaign.
The women’s singles champion can potentially earn an ITF Place toward qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
However, winning gold does not automatically guarantee an Olympic appearance.
The athlete still needs to satisfy additional ITF eligibility and ranking requirements, including being ranked inside the Top 500 and complying with the Olympic singles quota rules for her country.
At world No. 18 entering the Asian Games, Eala is comfortably inside that ranking requirement.
So while the immediate goal in Nagoya is an Asian Games medal, the tournament could also have implications stretching all the way toward LA 2028.
Alex Eala Asian Games 2026 Results Tracker
This section can be updated throughout the tournament.
Women’s Singles
First Round
Alex Eala — BYE
Second Round / Round of 16
Alex Eala vs. Patcharin Cheapchandej (Thailand)
September 28
Third match on Centre Court
Result: To be updated
Possible Quarterfinal
Alex Eala vs. Joanna Garland (Chinese Taipei) or Mandegar Farzami (Iran)
Schedule: TBA
Women’s Doubles
First Round
Alex Eala / Shaira Hope Rivera vs. Lai Ching Laam / Kallista Liu (Hong Kong)
Schedule/Result: To be updated
Alex Eala Asian Games 2026 FAQ
When is Alex Eala’s next Asian Games match?
Eala is scheduled to begin her women’s singles campaign on Monday, September 28, against Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej.
What time is Alex Eala playing?
She is the third match scheduled on Centre Court. Centre Court action begins at 9:00 AM Philippine time, but Eala’s match will start only after the first two matches finish.
Who is Alex Eala’s opponent?
Her first opponent is Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, who defeated Pakistan’s Mahin Aftab Qureshi 6-1, 6-1 in the opening round.
What is Alex Eala’s ranking?
Eala entered the tournament ranked No. 18 in the world and is the top seed in the Asian Games women’s singles draw.
Is Alex Eala playing doubles?
Yes. She is partnering with Shaira Hope Rivera in the women’s doubles tournament.
Where is Asian Games tennis being played?
Matches are being held at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya, Japan.
Final Thoughts
There’s something different about watching Alex Eala at the Asian Games.
We normally follow her from one WTA tournament to another—checking rankings, draws and how far she can go against some of the best players in the world.
But this week in Nagoya, it’s about playing for the Philippines.
Alex already knows what it feels like to stand on an Asian Games podium after winning bronze in her previous appearance.
Now she returns as the No. 1 seed, a Top-20 player and one of the biggest names in the entire women’s singles draw.
First up is Patcharin Cheapchandej of Thailand.
And if Alex can get through that opening challenge, the road toward another Asian Games medal—and potentially an even bigger one than last time—continues.
