Alex Eala, partner bow out in Australian Open 2026 doubles

Philippines’ Alexandra Eala hits a return to USA’s Alycia Parks during their women’s singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 19, 2026. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) / 

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala and Ingrid Martins of Brazil couldn’t complete a comeback as they fell to Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Poland’s Magda Linette, 6(3)-7, 6-2, 3-6, in the 2026 Australian Open women’s doubles on Tuesday at Melbourne Park.

Eala and Martins recovered from a first-set meltdown, coming out strong in the second with a 5-2 spread and avoiding another collapse to force a decider.

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However, the Filipino-Brazilian duo, who called for a medical timeout before the third set, started flat and fell behind 0-4. They regrouped and trimmed the deficit to 3-4.

Aoyama and Linette, however, regained momentum, surviving an extended eighth game for the match point, 5-3. They started the final game with a 40-0 lead before Eala and Martins scored, but the Japanese nailed the game-winner to advance to the second round.

Eala and Martins had earlier squandered a 4-0 lead in the opening set as Aoyama and Linette rallied to tie it at 5-all. The pair briefly regained set point at 6-5, only for their opponents to force a tiebreak and complete the comeback.

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It marked the 20-year-old Eala’s third Grand Slam doubles appearance. She previously reached the second round of the French Open last year with Renata Zarazua of Mexico and also competed in Wimbledon doubles with Eva Lys, where she fell to Martins and Quinn Gleason.

Eala also bowed out of her Australian Open singles main draw debut on Monday, losing to American Alycia Parks, 6-0, 3-6, 2-6.

She is set to compete next as a qualifying wild card in the 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, a WTA 500 event from January 31 to February 7.

Eala is also a main draw wild card in the first-ever Philippine Women’s Open starting next week, but it’s still uncertain how the tennis rising star will juggle the upcoming events following her Australian Open stint.