WHENEVER Alex Eala steps on court, it feels very much like home. Wherever it may be.
Coco Gauff saw it for herself on Thursday when she saw center court at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships filled to be brim by flag-waving Filipino fans waiting for Eala to play next while the American tried to overcome her own match.
"I played this tournament many years and never seen the stands as full as they are especially for the early rounds," said the world's No. 4 ranked women's player. "So yeah, I’m happy that’s able to bring a new demographic to the sport.”
READ Alex Eala and her Filipino tongue and accent keep making noise on world stage
Now Gauff will see that same crowd root against her as she takes on world No. 40 Eala in the quarterfinals of Dubai's WTA 1000-level tournament.
"I’ve never played with Alex at any level. I’ve practiced with her a few times," she said in an interview with the WTA. “I’m sure she’s gonna play some good tennis tonight with the crowd support behind her. Even though it’s technically not her home… she has crazy pull so it is her home crowd, I would consider it that."
The two, however, are no strangers to each other. They shared the court as doubles partners at the 2025 Italian Open, where they got as far as the quarterfinals.
Eala, 20, has knocked off world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini and No. 32 Sorana Cirstea en route to the Final Eight - her deepest run in a 1000-level after last year's breakthrough to the semifinals at the Miami Open last March.
Since 2009, Eala has become just the third Asian player to reach multiple WTA 1000 quarterfinals before turning 21, joining Naomi Osaka and Zheng Qinwen.
Meanwhile, Gauff defeated doubles world No. 1 and singles world No. 22 Elise Mertens, 2-6, 7-6(9), 6-3, and world No. 23 Anna Kalinskaya, 6-4, 6-4, in the Round of 32 and Round of 16, respectively, after receiving a first-round bye.
Eala will be Gauff’s lowest-ranked opponent in this tournament so far, while the American stands as the highest-ranked foe the Filipina has faced this year.
Beyond the atmosphere, there are valuable ranking points on the line.
Nearly a year ago, Eala's historic run in Miami earned her 390 ranking points under the WTA’s rolling 52-week system. Points are set to drop soon. Another semifinal finish could propel the Filipina rising star to a career milestone.
The match will start not before 11:00 PM on Thursday Manila time.
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