Filipina Alex Eala and Indonesian Janice Tjen will join forces as doubles partners in the WTA500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open this week.
The pairing marks a shift from rivalry to cooperation between two of Southeast Asia’s top young tennis players.
Eala and Tjen last faced each other in the WTA250 Sao Paulo Open quarterfinals, where Tjen won in straight sets during their first professional meeting.
That result helped Tjen become the first Indonesian semifinalist in WTA Tour history, months after Eala became the first Filipina to reach a WTA semifinal at the Miami Open.
Both players have since achieved career-high rankings and consistent results on the professional circuit.
The two were expected to meet for a gold medal at the SEA Games in Thailand before Tjen retired in the semifinals due to breathing issues.
Eala went on to defeat Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the final to deliver the Philippines’ first women’s tennis gold since 1999.
In Abu Dhabi, the pair will face Filipina-Canadian Leylah Fernandez and France’s Kristina Mladenovic in doubles action.
The timing of their doubles match will depend on the completion of their singles assignments, with Eala slated to play Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey and Tjen set to meet Australia’s Maya Joint.
Although their doubles rankings are lower—No. 135 for Eala and No. 67 for Tjen—they aim to make a strong impression for Southeast Asia on the global stage.
“I think the SEA level is really there as you can see,” Eala said. “It creates a really good atmosphere.”
Both players have expressed confidence that teamwork will be key in facing experienced European opponents in the draw.
The pairing allows the former rivals to combine their strengths and elevate regional tennis in a field dominated by top international players.
With the Abu Dhabi Open underway, Eala and Tjen will look to make their debut as a doubles team and carry Southeast Asian pride into the tournament.
Written by Kimberly Santiago, Insight PH
Kimberly Santiago, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
