Eala set to play in Singapore Tennis Open

MANILA, Philippines -- Alex Eala may be seeing action Wimbledon as a seeded player on Tuesday evening, but she will also return to familiar ground in September for a new WTA 500 tournament. 

Eala is expected to compete in the Singapore Tennis Open (STO) in September of this year, with the event upgraded to a WTA 500 tournament. 

The STO will run from September 21-27 at the OCBC Arena at The Kallang, and it will be the first time the tournament will be a WTA 500 event after being a WTA 250 last year. 

In a statement, Eala said that she is excited to compete in Singapore once again. 

“Singapore has a really special place in my heart and I still remember competing there at the WTA Future Stars as a junior player,” she said. 

"I have always enjoyed playing in Singapore because it's so close to home and it's great to have a WTA 500 event in Southeast Asia! I'm looking forward to enjoying a great week at the Singapore Tennis Open,” she added. 

The STO will anchor the opening of the WTA’s Asian swing. 

With only 18 WTA 500 events globally, more ranking points and prize money are up for grabs. 

“The elevation to WTA 500 means fans can look forward to a higher-quality field, more competitive matches and an even bigger, more exciting atmosphere at The Kallang this year - delivering a truly world-class live experience,” said Yazed Osman, group head, events & placemaking and place management of The Kallang Group. 

“Accessibility remains central to how we design the Singapore Tennis Open experience. From first-time spectators to avid fans seeking premium hospitality, our ticketing approach is intentionally inclusive, with flexible options that invite more people to be part of world-class tennis.” 

This year’s competition will feature a 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, promising world-class matches on Singapore’s hard courts. 

Fans can look forward to two days of rousing qualifying matches from September 19-20 September and seven days of exhilarating main-draw play from September 21-27.