Alex Eala is heading back to Singapore, but things are very different this time around.
When the Filipina played at the Singapore Tennis Open in 2025, she was still trying to fight her way through qualifying. Fast-forward to 2026 and Eala returns as the World No. 18, an established Top 20 player and one of the highest-ranked players in the entire tournament.
And following several high-profile withdrawals from the field, Eala is now projected to become the No. 3 seed at the 2026 Singapore Tennis Open.
That would also give her something very important: a first-round bye, meaning she would begin her campaign directly in the second round.
The Singapore Tennis Open runs from September 21 to 27, 2026, at the OCBC Arena at The Kallang in Singapore. The tournament has also been upgraded from a WTA 250 event to a WTA 500 tournament, making this year’s edition significantly bigger than the event Eala played in last season.
And for Filipino fans, there’s another nice advantage.
Singapore and the Philippines are in the same time zone.
No midnight calculations. No converting European or American match times.
Whatever time Eala plays in Singapore is exactly the same time in Manila.
Here’s everything we know so far about Alex Eala‘s Singapore Tennis Open 2026 campaign.
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Alex Eala Singapore Tennis Open 2026 Quick Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Singapore Tennis Open presented by BNP Paribas |
| Category | WTA 500 |
| Dates | September 21–27, 2026 |
| Qualifying | September 19–20, 2026 |
| Venue | OCBC Arena, The Kallang |
| Location | Singapore |
| Surface | Indoor hard court |
| Singles Draw | 28 players |
| Doubles Draw | 16 teams |
| Alex Eala Ranking | World No. 18 |
| Projected Seed | No. 3 |
| First Round | Projected bye |
| Philippine Time | Same as Singapore |
| Total Financial Commitment | US$1,206,446 |
The WTA officially lists Eala among the players competing in Singapore, although the player list remains subject to change until the main draw is published.
When Is Alex Eala Playing at the Singapore Open?
The main draw of the Singapore Tennis Open begins on Monday, September 21, and runs until Sunday, September 27.
However, Alex Eala’s exact first match date, opponent and court time have not yet been officially confirmed as of September 18.
That’s because the final tournament draw has not yet been published by the WTA.
The official WTA tournament page currently still describes the player list as subject to change until the draw is released.
And because Eala is now projected to be one of the Top 4 seeds, she is expected to receive a first-round bye.
That means we likely won’t see her during the opening round.
Instead, Eala would begin directly in the second round.
Once the official bracket is released, we’ll know exactly who she could face.
Alex Eala Is Projected to Be the No. 3 Seed
This is probably the biggest development surrounding Eala before the tournament.
When the original Singapore entry list was released, Eala was sixth among the direct entrants based on the ranking cutoff.
Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova, Diana Shnaider and Sorana Cirstea were originally above her.
But the field has changed significantly.
Pegula withdrew from the tournament following a demanding North American hard-court season that included deep runs in Washington, Cincinnati and the US Open. The WTA confirmed her withdrawal on September 16.
Diana Shnaider and Sorana Cirstea are also among the notable withdrawals.
As a result, the projected top three seeds are now:
- Mirra Andreeva
- Amanda Anisimova
- Alex Eala
Eala’s current ranking of World No. 18 puts her behind only Andreeva and Anisimova among the remaining highest-ranked players in the field.
That is a huge contrast from where she was when she visited Singapore just one year ago.
Why Does the No. 3 Seed Matter?
The Singapore Tennis Open has a 28-player singles draw.
Instead of having all 32 positions filled by players, the four highest seeds receive first-round byes.
That means the Top 4 seeds advance automatically to the second round without playing a first-round match.
With Eala projected at No. 3, she would receive one of those four byes.
For Eala, that changes the tournament significantly.
Instead of needing five match victories to win the title, she would need four.
It also means she avoids the possibility of an opening-round exit and gets additional time to prepare after returning from the North American hard-court swing.
Of course, a bye doesn’t guarantee an easier second-round match. Her opponent will be determined by the draw and the result of the first-round match feeding into her section.
Who Will Alex Eala Play?
As of September 18, Eala’s first opponent has not yet been confirmed.
This is important because some reports circulating before the draw may list possible opponents or projected brackets. Until the official WTA draw is published, those remain possibilities rather than confirmed matchups.
Because Eala is projected to receive a bye, her first opponent should be the winner of a first-round match elsewhere in her section of the bracket.
We’ll have a much clearer picture once the official draw is released.
That will also reveal whether Eala is placed in Mirra Andreeva’s half or Amanda Anisimova’s half of the draw.
Singapore and Philippine Time Are the Same
Here’s some good news for Filipino tennis fans.
There is no time difference between Singapore and the Philippines.
Both use UTC+8.
So if Alex Eala’s match is scheduled at:
- 11:00 AM in Singapore → 11:00 AM in the Philippines
- 2:00 PM in Singapore → 2:00 PM in the Philippines
- 6:30 PM in Singapore → 6:30 PM in the Philippines
- 8:00 PM in Singapore → 8:00 PM in the Philippines
Simple.
After following tournaments in Europe and North America where Eala sometimes played at very inconvenient hours for viewers back home, Singapore should be a much easier tournament to follow live.
Singapore Tennis Open 2026 Schedule
Here’s the general tournament schedule:
September 19–20
Qualifying rounds
September 21
Main draw begins
September 21–25
Early rounds and quarterfinal stage
September 26
Semifinals
September 27
Doubles and singles finals
The WTA lists the singles final for Sunday, September 27, not before 5:00 PM Singapore and Philippine time.
Eala’s individual schedule will depend on the official draw and daily order of play.
Where Is the Singapore Tennis Open Held?
The tournament will be played at the OCBC Arena at The Kallang in Singapore.
The event uses indoor hard courts, so weather shouldn’t have the same impact that it would at an outdoor tournament.
The 2026 event features a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles competition.
For Filipino fans living in Singapore—or those willing to make the short flight from the Philippines—this is also one of the most accessible opportunities to watch Eala play a WTA tournament in person.
Singapore is practically in our backyard compared with places like New York, London, Paris or Toronto.
Singapore Open Is Now a WTA 500 Tournament
Another major change from 2025 is the tournament category.
Singapore returned to the WTA calendar as a WTA 250 tournament in 2025.
For 2026, it has been upgraded to WTA 500 status.
That’s a significant jump.
A WTA 500 champion earns 500 ranking points, while the deeper prize pool and ranking rewards generally attract a stronger field.
The official WTA listing shows a total financial commitment of US$1,206,446 for the 2026 Singapore tournament.
Singapore also serves as one of the opening tournaments of the WTA’s Asian Swing, leading into major events in China and elsewhere in Asia.
Who Else Is Playing in Singapore?
Even after several withdrawals, there are still plenty of accomplished players in the tournament.
Among those currently listed are:
- Mirra Andreeva
- Amanda Anisimova
- Alex Eala
- Maja Chwalinska
- Elise Mertens
- Barbora Krejcikova
- Maria Sakkari
- Janice Tjen
- Donna Vekic
- Wang Xinyu
- Daria Kasatkina
- Alycia Parks
- Oleksandra Oliynykova
The official tournament listing at The Kallang also includes additional direct entrants, with qualifiers and other remaining draw positions still to be finalized.
One interesting name is Elise Mertens, who returns as the defending Singapore champion.
Mertens won the inaugural 2025 edition of the revived tournament before the event was upgraded to WTA 500 status.
Eala’s Singapore Open History
Eala has been here before.
She competed in the Singapore Tennis Open in 2025, but at that stage of her career she had to go through qualifying.
She eventually lost in the second round of qualifying to Switzerland’s Simona Waltert.
Think about how much has changed since then.
In 2025: qualifying.
In 2026: World No. 18 and projected No. 3 seed.
That alone shows just how quickly her position on the WTA Tour has changed.
She’s no longer simply trying to get into these tournaments.
She’s entering Singapore as one of the players other competitors may be hoping to avoid in the draw.
Alex Eala’s Breakthrough 2026 Season
Eala comes into Singapore following the biggest season of her professional career so far.
Her results during 2026 have pushed her all the way to World No. 18, her career-high ranking as of September 18.
Among the highlights was her title run at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, where she defeated a series of high-level opponents and captured her first WTA Tour-level singles title.
Her run included victories over Zheng Qinwen, Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka before she defeated Jessica Pegula in the final.
Eala won the championship match 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
She also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier in the season, including a victory over Iga Swiatek, and reached the third round of the US Open in September.
At Flushing Meadows, Eala defeated Mary Stoiana and Oleksandra Oliynykova before losing a close three-set match against Iva Jovic.
She was beaten 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.
Those results have transformed her standing heading into Singapore.
From US Open to Singapore
Eala’s most recent tournament was the US Open.
She defeated American qualifier Mary Stoiana 6-1, 6-2 in the first round before beating Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4.
Her run ended against Iva Jovic in the third round.
So Singapore represents her first tournament back in Asia following the North American hard-court stretch.
And there won’t be much downtime after Singapore either.
Because another major event is waiting.
Asian Games Comes Immediately After Singapore
The Singapore Tennis Open carries additional significance because it comes immediately before Eala represents the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Eala has chosen to compete in the Asian Games instead of the China Open in Beijing, a mandatory WTA 1000 event for players who meet the applicable participation requirements.
The Philippine Tennis Association has requested an exemption from the WTA over possible penalties connected with her absence from Beijing. Reuters reported that Eala was World No. 18 and the top-seeded women’s singles player for the Asian Games.
That creates a very busy stretch:
September 21–27
Singapore Tennis Open
Late September to early October
Asian Games tennis competition in Japan
After the Asian Games, Eala is also entered in the Wuhan Open, another WTA 1000 tournament.
So Singapore is really the beginning of an important Asian stretch for Eala.
Why the Singapore Open Is Different This Year for Eala
What’s interesting about Eala’s return isn’t simply that she’s playing the same tournament again.
Her role has completely changed.
Last year, she was trying to qualify.
This year, she’s potentially one of the top three seeds.
Last year, reaching the main draw itself would have been a significant result.
This year, her ranking automatically places her much deeper in the tournament hierarchy.
That’s a completely different situation.
And because Singapore is geographically close to the Philippines and has a large Filipino community, we can probably expect plenty of Philippine flags in the stands once Eala finally steps onto the court.
Tournament organizers have already promoted her as one of the event’s headline attractions, alongside some of the biggest names remaining in the field.
How Many Ranking Points Can Eala Earn?
Because Singapore is now a WTA 500 event, there are significantly more ranking points available compared with last year’s WTA 250 edition.
The champion receives 500 WTA ranking points.
That matters for Eala because she has now reached the part of the rankings where every deep run can affect seeding at future tournaments.
At World No. 18, continuing to accumulate points could help determine her position heading into later tournaments and eventually the 2027 Grand Slam season.
However, ranking movement doesn’t depend simply on the number of points earned at one tournament. The WTA ranking system also takes into account which existing results are being replaced or defended.
Can Alex Eala Win the Singapore Open?
There are several highly ranked and accomplished players in the field, including Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova and defending champion Elise Mertens.
Eala herself arrives with a WTA 500 championship already on her 2026 résumé and a ranking of No. 18.
Rather than trying to predict how far she will go, the draw will tell us much more.
Her second-round opponent, quarter of the bracket and possible semifinal matchup will become clear once the WTA publishes the official draw.
That’s the next major update Filipino fans should watch for.
Alex Eala Singapore Open 2026 FAQ
Is Alex Eala playing in the Singapore Tennis Open 2026?
Yes. Eala is officially listed by the WTA among the players entered in the tournament.
When is the Singapore Tennis Open?
The main tournament runs from September 21 to 27, 2026, with qualifying on September 19 and 20.
What is Alex Eala’s ranking?
Eala is currently ranked World No. 18.
What seed is Alex Eala in Singapore?
Following several withdrawals, Eala is projected to be the No. 3 seed.
Does Alex Eala have a first-round bye?
If the projected seeding is confirmed in the official draw, yes. The Top 4 seeds in the 28-player field receive opening-round byes, which would send Eala directly into the second round.
Who is Alex Eala’s opponent?
Her opponent has not yet been officially confirmed as of September 18 because the final main draw has not yet been published.
What time will Alex Eala play?
Her exact match schedule has not been announced. Once the order of play is released, the Singapore match time will also be the exact Philippine time.
Is Singapore ahead of the Philippines?
No. Singapore and the Philippines are both on UTC+8, so there is no time difference.
Where will the tournament be held?
At the OCBC Arena at The Kallang in Singapore.
Is the Singapore Open a WTA 250 or WTA 500?
It is now a WTA 500 tournament. The event was WTA 250 in 2025 before being upgraded for 2026.
Who won the Singapore Open last year?
Belgium’s Elise Mertens won the 2025 tournament.
Final Thoughts
Alex Eala’s return to Singapore is a good example of just how much can change in one tennis season.
A year ago, she was competing in qualifying.
Now she arrives as World No. 18 and is projected to be the No. 3 seed in a tournament that has itself been upgraded to WTA 500 status.
Her exact opponent and match schedule are still to come, but the basic picture is already clear.
The Singapore Tennis Open runs from September 21 to 27 at the OCBC Arena, Eala is in the main draw, and barring another change before the draw is finalized, she’s expected to receive a first-round bye and begin her campaign in the second round.
And for us watching from the Philippines, perhaps the best part is the schedule.
No setting the alarm for 2:00 AM this time.
Singapore and Manila have exactly the same time.
Now we just have to wait for the draw—and find out who Alex Eala will face first.
