Australian Open 2026: Alex Eala draws Alycia Parks in first round

Dubai: Filipina tennis star Alexandra 'Alex' Eala will make her Australian Open main draw campaign against world No. 100 Alycia Parks of the United States.

The 20-year-old Eala recently surged to a career-high world ranking of No. 49. She enters the season’s opening Grand Slam in strong form and with growing confidence.

Eala arrives in peak form

Eala is coming off an impressive semifinal run at the WTA ASB Classic in Auckland. She followed that up with a dominant exhibition victory over Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic at the Kooyong Classic this week.

Those results suggest the Filipina is peaking at the right time as she prepares for her long-awaited Australian Open debut.

Parks brings power and experience

Despite the rankings, Alycia Parks presents a formidable challenge. The 25-year-old American is widely regarded as one of the tour’s most dangerous unseeded players.

Parks famously shares the record for the fastest serve in US Open history at 129 mph, a mark also held by Venus Williams. Her career highlight came in 2023, when she captured the Lyon Open title by defeating former world No. 11 Caroline Garcia.

She also brings valuable Grand Slam experience, having reached the third round of the Australian Open two years ago.

First meeting on tour

The scheduled match on Sunday, January 18, will mark the first meeting between Eala and Parks on the WTA Pro Tour.

For Eala, the match represents another personal milestone. She has now appeared in the main draws of all four Grand Slam tournaments.

What’s at stake

“I want to say this is the best I’ve ever played,” Eala said after her tune-up matches in Melbourne. “I think I’m in a good moment, so I really hope to keep the momentum going.”

If Eala advances past Parks’ power game, a tough second-round test awaits. She would face either world No. 19 and former French Open finalist Karolína Muchová or Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian, ranked 37th.