Eala And Tjen Progress In Dramatic Fashion At Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Another action-packed day unfolded at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, at Zayed Sports City, as several elite WTA stars secured their places in the quarterfinals and Philippine hotshot Alex Eala, alongside Janice Tjen, won a thrilling doubles encounter which went down to a super tiebreak.

In the singles, seven-time WTA Tour title winner Luidmila Samsonova eliminated Indonesia's Tjen in straight sets and McCartney Kessler knocked out the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open reigning singles champion Leylah Fernandez.

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In the evening, Hailey Baptiste won an all-American clash against Emma Navarro to book her spot in the quarterfinals.

Following the game, the powerful Baptiste said:“It feels really good to progress to the quarters. The atmosphere was great and there's some fans here from back home in Washington DC which is awesome.”

On the Doubles side, there was a full crowd on ADCB Court 1 to witness Filipina talent Eala and Tjen overcome Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic in dramatic fashion. The match went down to a super tiebreak and the popular Asian duo came out on top in front of an ecstatic crowd.

Away from the courts, students enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at sports physiotherapy as Aliaksandra Sasnovich visited Healthpoint Hospital to explore equipment used in the treatment and prevention of sports injuries. The day also included an exclusive meet-and-greet, with students taking photos with Sasnovich before gathering at the Stadium Court to soak up the atmosphere and excitement of live, world-class tennis.

Adding to the engagement, Nadiia Kichenok visited the Healthpoint booth, where she took part in a sports injury health quiz, posed for photos, and signed merchandise and tennis balls for fans. In addition, there was a Special Olympics Clinic for an hour on the evening and lots of fun activities in the Tournament Village with stilt walkers, live music and more.

Nigel Gupta, Tournament Director at Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, said:“It was another wonderful day at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, with huge crowds and a fantastic atmosphere throughout the venue. Fans have even more to look forward to tomorrow, with defending champion Belinda Bencic making her tournament debut and crowd favourite Alexandra Eala aiming to book her place in the quarter-finals in the closing match of the day.”

Wednesday (February 4) is the 'International Girl and Women in Sports Day' and it couldn't be timed better with a blockbuster schedule on Stadium Court. Olympic gold medallist Bencic faces British qualifier Sonay Kartal (not before 5PM) and this will be followed by Filipina star Eala taking on Aliaksandra Sasnovich as the stars try and secure their places in the quarterfinals of this WTA 500 event.

The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open runs through February 7, blending WTA 500 action with community initiatives, including the Road to MADO youth pathway finals and the tournament's inaugural wheelchair tennis invitational.

Results - Tuesday
R16 - S. Kenin (USA) / D. Krawczyk (USA) d. [1] A. Muhammad (USA) / E. Routliffe (NZL) 6-1 2-6 12-10
R16 - B. Krejcikova (CZE) / J. Ostapenko (LAT) d. L. Samsonova / Y. Xu (CHN) 6-2 7-5
R16 - A. Eala (PHI) / J. Tjen (INA) d. L. Fernandez (CAN) / K. Mladenovic (FRA) 7-5 3-6 10-6
R16 - [3] C. Tauson (DEN) d. [Q] S. Waltert (SUI) 6-3 6-1
R16 - M. Kessler (USA) d. [6] L. Fernandez (CAN) 6-3 6-2
R16 - [5] L. Samsonova d. J. Tjen (INA) 6-2 6-2
R16 - [WC] H. Baptiste (USA) d. [4] E. Navarro (USA) 7-6(6) 0-6 6-3

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