Alexandra Eala and Janice Tjen, two rising stars from Southeast Asia, have both secured wild cards for the upcoming WTA 500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. This tournament is set to commence on February 1. Eala, currently ranked No. 49, is the first Filipina to break into the Top 50. The 20-year-old tennis player has garnered attention by defeating top players such as Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Jelena Ostapenko during her impressive run to the Miami semifinals in 2023.
In recent tournaments, Eala reached her first WTA final in Eastbourne and started 2026 with a robust semifinal showing in Auckland. This upcoming event will mark her second appearance in Abu Dhabi, where she previously lost in the first round to Magda Linette in 2024.
Janice Tjen’s Rise in Tennis
Janice Tjen, a graduate of Pepperdine University, has also made significant strides in her career. Unranked as of June 2024, Tjen made remarkable progress, entering the Top 100 within just 16 months. She became the first Indonesian player to achieve this milestone since Angelique Widjaja in 2004. Following a strong 2025 season, she finished the year ranked No. 53 after clinching her first WTA title in Chennai and reaching a final in Sao Paulo.
Recently, Tjen made it to the second round of the Australian Open, and she is expected to enter the Top 50 soon, following in the footsteps of former world No. 19 Yayuk Basuki.
Competition at the Abu Dhabi Open
- Four former major titlists will participate:
- Elena Rybakina
- Jelena Ostapenko
- Sofia Kenin
- Barbora Krejcikova
- Defending champion: Belinda Bencic
- Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen returns after an elbow injury.
- Montreal champion Victoria Mboko will make her tournament debut.
- Marketa Vondrousova has withdrawn due to a shoulder injury.
Upcoming WTA 250 Transylvania Open Wild Cards
In addition to the Abu Dhabi Open, wild cards for the WTA 250 Transylvania Open have also been revealed. This includes:
- Karolina Pliskova, former World No. 1 and recent champion.
- Pliskova, now ranked No. 1,057, is making her comeback after a foot injury.
- She recently demonstrated her form with a third-round appearance at the Australian Open.
Additional Wild Cards in Cluj-Napoca
Three more wild cards have been granted for the Cluj-Napoca event:
- Ana Bogdan (former No. 39)
- Miriam Bulgaru (ranked No. 199)
- Elena Ruxandra Bertea, making her tour-level debut
Bertea made headlines by rising from No. 699 to No. 319 in 2025, boasting a robust record of 61 wins and 24 losses.
Ostrava Open Wild Cards
Additional wild cards have been awarded for the WTA 250 Ostrava Open:
- Lucie Havlickova, former junior No. 1 and 2022 Roland Garros girls’ champion
- Tereza Martincova, former No. 40
The Ostrava event features a strong entry list, headlined by Tatjana Maria, a former Wimbledon semifinalist.
This season promises thrilling matches as these promising talents and seasoned professionals compete across various tournaments.
