Alexandra Eala is having her strongest showing of the 2026 season so far at the Abu Dhabi Open.
Eala fought back from a set down to defeat Aliksandra Sasnovich, earning a spot in the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 event.
The crowd have been firmly behind her, treating her like a local favourite with large turnouts for every match.
And despite her loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova in the following round, Eala’s rise in the rankings has already started to pay off.
Before the match against Alexandrova, the 20-year-old talent had been granted direct entry into an upcoming major tournament.
Alexandra Eala receives Qatar Open main draw spot
Eala’s strong run in Abu Dhabi has lifted her to a new career-high ranking of World No. 38.
With that rise, the 20-year-old has secured direct entry into the main draw of the Qatar Open for the first time in her career.
Until now, Eala’s only way into WTA 1000 events has been through wild card entries, most notably at last year’s Miami Open.
There, she made it all the way to the semi-finals after taking down Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko, and Madison Keys along the way.
This time around, she will be looking to put together a similar run now that she does not need to play through qualifying.
Several high-profile withdrawals from the Qatar Open
Eala’s place in the Qatar Open was not just down to her rise in the rankings; a number of withdrawals have also played a part.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka has opted out, and both Americans Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula have withdrawn as well.
Lois Boisson is another absentee, pulling out because of a leg injury.
Naomi Osaka, Iva Jovic, and Marta Kostyuk are also skipping the tournament as they continue their post-Australian Open break.
If Eala can carry over her form from Abu Dhabi, she might be one of the under-the-radar threats in Doha.
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