Alex Eala to face Janice Tjen in PH Arena homecoming

TROPHY. The Philippines' Alex Eala wins the 2026 Washington Open in the United States.

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Staging the tennis exhibition at the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena gives tens of thousands of Filipinos the chance to catch Alex Eala in action on home soil

MANILA, Philippines – Once her historic 2026 season is over, Alex Eala is headed home.

The Filipina tennis star will headline the “Alex Eala Live: Game. Set. Celebrate” on December 8 as she battles Indonesia’s Janice Tjen at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. 

“Every time I play abroad, I carry the Philippines with me. To come home and play in front of our fans will be incredibly special,” Eala told event organizer Tatler Philippines. 

Staging the event at the 55,000-seater arena gives tens of thousands of Filipinos the chance to catch Eala in action on home soil for the first time since she bannered the inaugural staging of the Philippine Women’s Open in January.

The event also has a chance to go for the world record for largest crowd at a tennis match, a distinction held by the Match for Africa exhibition in 2020 where 51,954 spectators witnessed Roger Federer beat rival Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. 

“I want this to be a day where we celebrate our love for tennis, our culture, and the young players who will take the sport forward,” said Eala. 

A celebrity exhibition match, live musical performances, and interactive fan experiences will also be part of the event.

Eala is currently in New York for the US Open, the last major of the year, hoping to go on a deep run after she made history last year by becoming the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main draw match in the Open era. 

Ranked 18th in the world, Eala will be seeded in a major for only the second time in her career. – Rappler.com