Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala has earned a place in the main draw of the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after American Madison Keys withdrew due to injury, tournament organizers said on Sunday.
Eala, currently ranked world No. 40, was originally entered in the qualifying rounds but was elevated to the main draw following the withdrawal of Keys, the world No. 16, who is resting a thigh injury.
Keys had been playing through the injury during the Brisbane International last January, where she suffered a loss to Karolina Muchova. The injury forced her to pull out of both the Doha and Dubai legs of the WTA Middle East swing.
Tournament organizers have tagged Eala as one of the fastest-rising players on the WTA Tour, a status reflected in her inclusion in a highly competitive field that features 18 of the world’s top 20 players.
The elite lineup in Dubai includes world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.
Eala’s rise has been fueled by a strong run of results over the past several weeks. The 20-year-old Filipina, who was ranked No. 139 last year, reached the semifinals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, before making the quarterfinals of the WTA 125 event in Manila.
She also posted a solid showing at the Abu Dhabi WTA 1000 before exiting the Doha WTA 1000 earlier this week, falling to Czech teenager Tereza Valentova, 7-6, 6-1.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships begin this weekend at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, serving as one of the marquee events on the WTA calendar.
