Alex Eala started her campaign at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a win after her opponent Hailey Baptiste retired due to injury, with Eala leading 6-4, 0-1. This victory marks her first WTA 1000 win of the season. Eala demonstrated strong baseline play and strategic rally control, especially in crucial moments like the third break in the first set. She will next face the sixth seed Jasmine Paolini, requiring sustained aggression and precise execution. Eala's performance was characterized by winning 70% of her service points and landing 77% of her first serves. Despite her success, Eala slipped to No. 47 in the WTA rankings, dropping seven places after reaching a career-high No. 40 last week following her quarterfinal run at the Abu Dhabi Open. She had previously climbed the rankings from No. 50 to her peak of No. 40. The upcoming match against Paolini will be a significant challenge for the 20-year-old Filipina tennis star.