MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tennis star Alex Eala had a strong start, but couldn't maintain her momentum, losing 6-7 (6), 1-6 to Tereza Valentova of the Czech Republic in the first round of the 2026 Qatar Open Monday night at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.
Eala led 4-2 in the first set, but Valentova slowly caught up to take a 1-0 lead. In the second set, Valentova pulled away, securing her spot in the second round.
Despite the loss, Eala walked away with a hefty $18,300 (over P1 million) in prize money.
The 20-year old Eala will next compete in the Dubai Open next week.