WASHINGTON, D.C. – Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala faces a daunting opening-round challenge after being drawn against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China in the first round of the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open following Saturday’s main draw.
The matchup is expected to be one of the tournament’s marquee first-round contests as Eala begins her North American hard-court campaign leading up to the US Open.
Zheng, currently ranked World No. 123, has struggled to regain her form following an elbow injury she sustained after Wimbledon 2025, which eventually required surgery. Since returning to competition in February, the 23-year-old Chinese star has endured a difficult comeback, suffering first-round exits at both the 2026 French Open and Wimbledon.
Zheng reached a career-high ranking of World No. 4 after capturing the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finishing runner-up at the 2024 Australian Open. However, injuries have contributed to her recent slide down the world rankings.
Meanwhile, Filipino fans from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and neighboring states flocked to the Mubadala DC Open to watch Eala’s practice session ahead of the WTA 500 tournament.
Excited supporters followed Eala from the moment she emerged from the players’ lounge to the practice courts, where she trained for an hour with American Ashlyn Krueger, who is currently ranked World No. 66.
Rafa Nadal Academy coach Joan Bosch supervised Eala’s training session, which included forehand and backhand drills, volleys, return practice, and point-construction exercises.
After practice, tournament security carefully managed the growing crowd as fans lined up for photos and autographs. Despite the large turnout, Eala took time to sign as many autographs as possible before leaving the court.
