A Strong First Serve: Inaugural Philippine Women’s Open Delivers

Tennis Asia was present at the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open tournament held at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila. Players and officials praised the event for its organisation, atmosphere and standards, as the new WTA 125 event made a compelling case for a long-term place on the women’s tour.

Alex Eala celebrates after her win over Himeno Sakatsume in the round of 16 in Manila. Credit: Luis Antonio Fabregar

Given that the Philippine Tennis Association (PhilTA) and the state-run Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) had less than two months to organise the event, it was perhaps unfair to have high expectations for the first tournament of this level to be staged in the country. However, the organisers were determined to make the most of this opportunity – one that had emerged, in no small part, as a result of the achievements of one woman.

That woman is Alex Eala, the most successful tennis player in Philippine history. The 20-year-old Filipina from Quezon City reached the semifinals of the prestigious Miami Open last year, beating major champions such as Iga Swiatek along the way and sparking a wave of tennis hysteria across the nation that shows no sign of abating. Since then Eala has played in Grand Slam events and climbed to a career-high ranking of world No. 45 - firmly placing the Philippines on the global tennis map, quite literally with the addition of this WTA 125 event to the WTA calendar.

We arrived at the tournament site on the day before the start of the main draw (during the qualifying event), and it was immediately clear to us that it felt bigger than a 125, which is a level below the main WTA Tour events (WTA 250, WTA 500 and WTA 1000). The strong organisation was evident from the outset, and the extras in terms of the fan zone, the food and drink, and other activities were more than adequate. There were also several nice touches, such as the big band and the tournament mascots, as well as a large painted mural featuring the country's sporting heroes, including Manny Pacquiao, Carlos Yulo and, of course, Alex Eala. All of this helped to instil a feeling of something more prestigious than a 125 tournament with no prior history.

Fans gather outside the entrance by centre court. Credit: PhilTA / Philippine Women's Open

This was impressive given the limited time the PSC and PhilTA had to prepare. Hong Kong's Eudice Chong, who won the doubles event alongside her partner Liang En-shuo of Chinese Taipei, was also surprised at the standards for a first-time event: "The first year of organising a WTA tournament is really tough, but what we’ve experienced here is incredible organisation and a very welcoming environment. Not having to worry about anything off court really helps us focus on performing well."

Other players expressed similar sentiments. Germany's Tatjana Maria, the tournament's No. 1 seed and a former Wimbledon semifinalist, said: "We feel like this tournament exists already for years, because it's so well organised. From the first day, it's completely full. For us players, it's really nice to play here."

Camila Osorio, the Colombian who was crowned the first-ever singles champion of the Philippine Women's Open, was forthright in her assessment: "I feel very welcome here. The facility is very nice. The hotel is very nice. The food is also unreal. It's like a bigger tournament if I'm honest. I could come here and say lies, but I'm being completely honest with you."

Meanwhile, Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei, who has played her fair share of WTA 125 events, was particularly impressed by the treatment of the players: "It's quite standout for a 125 tournament to have this level of hospitality. I mean, they even have like a hair salon and a nail salon. That's unheard of at this level."

It was also encouraging to see the number of spectators who turned up. The newly refurbished centre court, which had stands built specifically for this event, accommodated around 2,500 spectators. Tickets for the semifinals and final were sold out very soon after going on sale, while the remaining tickets were sold out by the weekend preceding the main draw. There was concern that the attendance might drop once the tournament's biggest draw, Alex Eala, was defeated by eventual champion Osorio in the quarterfinals. However, those concerns were unwarranted, as the stands were full across the last two days of the event.

The stadium was packed as Alex Eala beat Alina Charaeva on the opening day of the main draw.

Speaking on the opening day of the tournament, PSC Chairman Patrick Gregorio expressed hopes of upgrading the event to a WTA 250 on the basis of their performance as hosts this year. Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen, and this year's Philippine Women's Open marked the first of a three-year agreement with the WTA. Certainly, the site would likely have to be significantly revamped to accommodate a higher level of tournament, or a completely new site would have to be built. Nonetheless, the quality of this year's tournament will have done much to help their cause. And the players are on their side. Liang expressed her support: "I hope this tournament will be bigger and bigger, like 250, 500, one day, hopefully." Meanwhile, Manila champion Osorio expressed excitement at the thought of future growth: "If they can make it a bigger tournament, I will come one-hundred percent!"

Perhaps more importantly, WTA supervisor Cristina Romero Contla was very impressed: "If you're asking me if the Philippines would be ready to do a tournament of a higher caliber, then they're ready. I have done several 125s and I have to say this has a very, very high standard for it. Actually, it competes with 250s in different categories."

Melissa Pine, Vice-President of WTA Operations, was similarly effusive in her assessment. She said the event had “left a lasting impact on WTA athletes and staff,” while also praising the tournament’s role in inspiring the next generation and strengthening the Philippines’ position as a growing sports tourism destination.

In many ways, the final day of tennis was a perfect way to end a very successful week. Osorio lifted the singles trophy after a dramatic comeback from a set down against Olympic silver-medalist Donna Vekic, winning 2-6, 6-3, 7-5. The latter player had gained much support among local tennis fans, having been given the nickname "Tita Donna", with tita being the Filipino term for a beloved aunt. Meanwhile, Osorio had also endeared herself to the fans after her victory over Eala and run to the final. This meant the atmosphere during the final was excellent, with the crowd creating great noise for both players as the match built to a dramatic finale in the final set.

Manila champion Camila Osorio (centre) with the winning trophy, adorned with a traditional Filipino jacket. Credit: PhilTA / Philippine Women's Open

The trophy ceremony felt suitably grand and joyfully theatrical, underlining just how confidently the event had announced itself. A burst of confetti rained down as the champions were presented their trophies, giving the moment a sense of celebration more often associated with larger-tier tournaments. The players were draped in traditional Filipino-style jackets, a touch of local culture that provided a fun, colourful and fitting way to bring the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open to a close.

Eala’s run may have ended in the quarterfinals, but the broader significance of the week was unmistakable. "What once was just a dream is coming true," she said. “The Philippines now has its own WTA tournament."