HITTING the ground running to jumpstart her 2026 campaign at the ASB Classic in Auckland, Alex Eala and her partner are set to face a pairing led by Venus Williams in doubles of the WTA 250 tournament.
Partnered with fellow Guadalajara champion and world No. 35 Iva Jovic, the 20-year-old world No. 53 will take on former world No. 1 Williams and Ukraine’s world No. 14 Elina Svitolina in the round of 16 of the doubles event.
READ Eala begins 2026 campaign in Auckland ahead of Australian Open
The match is scheduled roughly two hours after Eala’s singles opener, at around 8:50 a.m. Manila time on Monday, against Croatia’s Donna Vekic at 6 a.m.
Williams and Svitolina add to the growing list of star players that Eala has faced in her young career, alongside the likes of Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys.
Williams, 45, owns seven grand slam titles and 14 grand slam trophies in women's doubles - all won with sister Serena. She is currently ranked No. 148 in the world in doubles and No. 577 in singles.
Eala, who is building up for her campaign in the first grand slam tournament of the year Down Under, carries a No. 166 ranking in doubles.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
