Alex Eala may face penalties for missing the China Open.

Alex Eala, the young star of Filipino tennis, is currently in action at the 2026 US Open, but she has already made an important decision regarding her schedule following the last major tournament of the season. It has been confirmed that Eala will represent the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games, which will take place in Nagoya, Japan, from September 27 to October 3.

John Rey Tiangco, Secretary-General of the Philippine Tennis Association, expressed his satisfaction: “We are very excited; it is confirmed that she will play in the Asian Games. We are very grateful to Alex. She really has a tight schedule. In fact, after the US Open, she will go to Singapore to compete in a WTA 500, and right after that, she has to fly to Nagoya. There are other events happening at the same time as the Asian Games, but she chose to play for the flag. Very proud, very happy that she can represent the Philippines.”

However, Eala's participation in the Asian Games means that she will miss the WTA 1000 tournament in China, which runs from September 30 to October 11, potentially resulting in penalties due to the WTA's mandatory tournament rules. Penalties for players who miss mandatory tournaments range from loss of ranking points to fines.

The four Grand Slams and the 10 WTA 1000 tournaments are considered mandatory by the WTA. Therefore, highly ranked players are expected to compete in all these events. The current 10 competitions at the WTA 1000 level include Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Beijing, and Wuhan, and players must participate in at least six WTA 500 tournaments per season.

The consequences for those who do not meet the WTA's requirements may include the assignment of “zero-pointers,” where zero ranking points are awarded for a mandatory event missed, resulting in the removal of points from another tournament to adjust the total to 18 events. Iga Swiatek, for example, faced this penalty in 2024, which caused her to lose the top spot in the world rankings.

While exemptions for absence from mandatory tournaments are generally granted only for valid injuries or medical reasons, Eala may have a chance to obtain an exemption due to the significance of the Asian Games. The decision regarding any penalty Eala may face for not participating in the China Open could have a significant impact on her ranking and future career.