Alex Eala Lights Up Day Three at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open as Fans Pack Zayed Sports City

Large crowds filled Zayed Sports City yesterday, day three of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, presented by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, as fans were treated to a full schedule of high-quality tennis and a standout evening win from crowd favourite Alexandra Eala.

Off court, the tournament continued its community engagement programme, welcoming 2,897 students from 41 schools through the event’s free-entry initiative for children, which runs until Thursday.

The on-court action began with a series of notable results. Spanish former world No.2 Paula Badosa exited the tournament after a three-set defeat to Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Stadium Court. Elsewhere, qualifier Sara Bejlek advanced with a straight-sets win over last year’s finalist Ashlyn Krueger. One of the day’s most competitive matches saw Janice Tjen overcome Maya Joint in three sets, with the Indonesian prevailing 7–6, 3–6, 6–3.

Reflecting on the win, Tjen said: “This is my first time in Abu Dhabi and it’s been so nice. It means so much to me the support I received today from the fans. The Indonesian fans were chanting ‘let’s go’ in my language which was amazing.”

In the evening session, Jelena Ostapenko produced a strong comeback performance, recovering from a set down to defeat Oksana Selekhmeteva. After the match, the Latvian said: “I gave it my all on the court and am so happy with the win. The UAE is one of my favourite countries to play in and the atmosphere was amazing.”

Away from match play, school groups had the opportunity to meet France’s Kristina Mladenovic for a group photo, while five-time WTA title winner Leylah Fernandez took part in a fan Q&A session in the Hospitality Pavilion. Across the Tournament Village, families engaged in mini tennis games, enjoyed roaming roller-skating performances and made the most of the relaxed, outdoor setting.

The day concluded on a packed Stadium Court, where Filipina star Alexandra Eala delivered a straight-sets victory over Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez. The 20-year-old reflected on the experience, saying: “Recently I’ve been playing in front of so many big crowds and I’m starting to find my groove a bit. I really appreciate all the fans coming to watch me with their families, especially on weekdays.”

Following her win, Eala took part in a meet-and-greet with Alfonso Ferdinand Ver, the Philippine Ambassador to the UAE.

Nigel Gupta, Tournament Director at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, said: “It was another wonderful day of tennis in Abu Dhabi. It’s been fantastic to see such strong crowds throughout the event, and especially to see so many schoolchildren enjoying the experience today. The draw produced a mouth-watering match-up between two highly supported players, and while there could only be one winner, congratulations to Eala. We’re really looking forward to what the rest of the week has in store.”

Tuesday’s headline matches include seven-time WTA Tour title winner Liudmila Samsonova facing Janice Tjen on Stadium Court, an all-American clash between Hailey Baptiste and Emma Navarro, and a doubles encounter featuring Alex Eala and Janice Tjen against Leylah Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic, scheduled after 6:30pm on ADCB Court 1.

The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open runs through 7 February 2026, combining WTA 500 competition with a range of community initiatives, including the Road to MADO youth pathway finals and the tournament’s inaugural wheelchair tennis invitational, presented by the WTA Foundation.

Tickets are still available via Platinumlist.