Home ahoho “THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING THEY COULD DO” — THE WTA HAS BEEN GIVEN A BLUNT WARNING OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF PUNISHING ALEX EALA FOR CHOOSING THE PHILIPPINES. Eala has made her priorities clear: when the Asian Games and China Open collided on the calendar, she chose to wear her country’s colors in Nagoya. That decision comes with a potentially painful price. The China Open is a mandatory WTA 1000 event for a player at her ranking, and Philippine officials have had to formally seek an exemption on her behalf. Now the prospect of sanctioning one of the Tour’s fastest-rising stars for representing her country has sparked a particularly fierce response. And the argument for why punishing Eala could actually backfire on the WTA goes far beyond the fine itself.

“THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING THEY COULD DO” — THE WTA HAS BEEN GIVEN A BLUNT WARNING OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF PUNISHING ALEX EALA FOR CHOOSING THE PHILIPPINES. Eala has made her priorities clear: when the Asian Games and China Open collided on the calendar, she chose to wear her country’s colors in Nagoya. That decision comes with a potentially painful price. The China Open is a mandatory WTA 1000 event for a player at her ranking, and Philippine officials have had to formally seek an exemption on her behalf. Now the prospect of sanctioning one of the Tour’s fastest-rising stars for representing her country has sparked a particularly fierce response. And the argument for why punishing Eala could actually backfire on the WTA goes far beyond the fine itself.

ahoho · 22/09/2026 · comments off

Alex Eala remains at risk of a hefty fine from the WTA Tour for missing out on the upcoming China Open in Beijing.

Eala could be fined $10,000 for missing the China Open, the first of two WTA 1000 tournaments in the Asian swing. The possible punishment comes because she has instead decided to participate in the Asian Games.

The 21-year-old will represent the Philippines at the event in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with the Philippine Tennis Association formally requesting an exemption for Eala to take part. The intriguing situation has now been discussed by a trio of former ATP players, who have sent a strong warning to the WTA Tour.

WTA Tour warned against fining Alex Eala for missing the China Open

Speaking of Eala’s Asian Games participation, Steve Johnson said on the Nothing Major Show: “1000% she should play. If the WTA fine her, that is the dumbest thing that they could do. Do not fine her. I know that they have not made exceptions in the past for certain players, but there is different rules for everyone. I hate to say it, but there just is.”

John Isner then commented: “I’m with you. They should waive the fine. Her ranking is going to dip by virtue of not playing.”

And Sam Querrey added: “They also need stars and she is one of the biggest. They have a lot of leverage going into an individual sport. If she goes ‘if you guys fine me, I will skip more tournaments’. Let’s see how it goes [if she says] I will skip the other tournaments in Asia, where she is going to be the biggest star.”

It’s a fair assessment from the former professionals, who like everyone are fully aware of how important Eala has become for the WTA Tour. She has rapidly become one of the biggest names in the sport, with tennis needing superstars like her to help excite fans and grow the game.

And if she were to decide to skip other events in retribution, particularly in Asia, it would not be at all favorable. It is simply a battle that the WTA does not need right now, but still Eala receiving a fine seems very much plausible at this moment in time.

The world number 18 is, however, focused on the Singapore Open, where she is the third seed and starts in round two after a first round bye. After that Eala will head to Japan for the Asian Games, where last time out she clinched the bronze medal. She will now aim to build on that success from China four years ago with the top prize for her nation.

After that, the rising star will return to the tour at the Wuhan Open and the Hong Kong Open, which are WTA 1000 and WTA 250 tournaments respectively. And while it will be extremely difficult, a place at the WTA Finals is not out of the question just yet.

That would cap a fitting end to a superb season from Eala, who secured her maiden title at Washington DC, reached her career-high rank and her best Grand Slam result by reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon.

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