MANILA — Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra Eala has apparently escaped sanctions from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after sacrificing her China Open campaign to represent the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games, where she captured a bronze medal.
The Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) disclosed that the WTA has not imposed any penalty on Eala despite her withdrawal from the mandatory WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing in favor of national-team duties.
PHILTA executive director Tonette Mendoza revealed the development during the Senate Committee on Sports’ post-Asian Games evaluation on Thursday, saying the federation had sought clarification from the WTA regarding possible sanctions against the Filipina tennis star.
Mendoza said Eala independently decided to prioritize the Asian Games after being invited to join the Philippine delegation, prompting PHILTA to request that any potential penalty be waived.
“The WTA just asked us a few questions: if she made the 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, to which we said yes, she made a decision on her own and it’s an Olympic qualifier. And then they just never got back to us,” Mendoza told the committee.
Although the WTA has not formally responded to PHILTA’s request, Mendoza indicated that Eala has not been penalized for missing the prestigious Beijing tournament.
She explained that PHILTA’s interpretation of WTA regulations suggested that penalties for skipping mandatory tournaments were primarily intended for players who opted to participate in exhibition matches rather than official competitions.
“Reading the rules of the WTA, the penalties and whatever points when you miss a mandatory tournament are assigned for players who omit these tournaments because they want to play an exhibition. It’s silent on representing the country,” she said.
Mendoza also disclosed that the International Tennis Federation (ITF) had expressed support for players who prioritize representing their countries over participating in mandatory professional tournaments.
“World Tennis, the ITF, I met with them last week, they were very supportive of players representing their country and skipping a mandatory tournament,” Mendoza said.
Eala’s decision to put national pride ahead of her professional tour commitments paid off as she secured the bronze medal in women’s singles after advancing to the semifinals of the Asian Games.
Her podium finish provided another milestone for Philippine tennis while underscoring her commitment to carrying the national colors on the international stage.
With her Asian Games campaign completed and no WTA sanction reported, Eala is expected to resume her professional campaign at the Wuhan Open next week.
However, PHILTA’s disclosure leaves the matter short of formal resolution, as the WTA has yet to issue an official response confirming whether any potential sanctions have been waived./PN
