MANILA – Home bet Elizabeth Abarquez bowed out early in the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open after absorbing a 6–0, 6–0 loss to Japan’s Mai Hontana in the tournament opener on Monday, January 26, 2026, at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.
Abarquez battled gamely before a cheering hometown crowd, but Hontana’s composure and experience proved decisive as the Japanese netter advanced to the Round of 16 in the first-ever WTA-sanctioned women’s tournament held in the Philippines.
“I really did my best, but it was just not good enough,” said Abarquez, who faced a player with main-draw experience at the 2024 Australian Open. “At least this competition is a big experience for me. It’s nice to play against the best in the world.”
At press time, second seed Alex Eala had yet to take the court against Russia’s Alina Charaeva, ranked No. 142 in the world. A victory by Eala would send her into a Round of 16 clash on Tuesday against the winner between Japan’s Nao Hibino and Himeno Sakatsumi, whose match was also still ongoing.
Other matches involving Filipina players were likewise in progress, including UAAP MVP Kaye Ann Emana against Tatiana Proszorova and Tenny Madis against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew.
Meanwhile, 2024 Paris Olympics women’s singles silver medalist Donna Vekic of Croatia said the Philippine Women’s Open, coupled with the growing popularity of Eala, is providing a significant boost to the sport in the country.
“It is amazing to ride the wave of Alex’s fame and what she brings to the country, making people more aware of tennis,” Vekic said. “I guess many kids are now starting to play tennis because of her.”
“Who knows? You may have another star like Alex soon,” added Vekic, citing the impact of the inaugural WTA 125 tournament in the Philippines supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Ranked No. 71 in the world and seeded fourth in the tournament, Vekic advised aspiring young players “to work hard, be yourself, and enjoy the game.” She was scheduled to face Japan’s Kyoko Nakamura, ranked No. 310, late Monday afternoon.
Vekic also noted that she has lost to Eala twice this year, first at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, and again at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, Australia, just last week.
“The support for Alex has absolutely been insane,” Vekic said. “After the matches, I even told the Filipino crowd, ‘Maybe you’ll adopt me,’ and I feel like they have.”
“I enjoy playing in front of a huge crowd. It’s a nice atmosphere even if they’re not cheering for me. I’m ready for that — but hopefully, the Filipinos will support me here, at least until I play Alex,” she added. / FRANK CALAPRE