Alex Eala to face Zheng Qinwen in DC Open opener

Alex Eala Zheng Qinwen DC Open WTA 500 US Open preparation

Filipina world No. 28 Alex Eala opens her North American hard‑court season at the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open, drawing former Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China in the first round. The match in Washington marks a key preparation step for the upcoming US Open.

Zheng, a 2024 Paris Olympic gold medallist, is returning from elbow‑surgery‑related setbacks that dropped her ranking to No. 160 last June; she has climbed back to around No. 123. Eala, after a strong 2023‑2024 campaign that included a Birmingham title and deep runs at Berlin, Dubai, and Indian Wells, seeks to prove her fitness following a recent two‑week break and withdrawal from doubles.

The winner will move on to face either Canada’s Leylah Fernandez or Poland’s Magda Linette in the second round.

Entities: Alex Eala · Mubadala DC Open · Zheng Qinwen

Sources

Alex Eala set for blockbuster opener against Zheng at DC Open [fastbreak.com.ph]

4 days ago

Alex Eala faces tough test against Zheng to start DC Open campaign [tiebreakertimes.com.ph]

3 days ago