Alexandra Eala has reached the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships for the first time. After her third-round win, a fan in the stands proposed that she marry their son, which Eala promptly rejected.
With her third-round win at the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament, Eala became the first Filipino player to reach the quarterfinals in Dubai, marking her second appearance in a last-eight match at a WTA 1000 event.
Alexandra Eala Rejects Marriage Proposal After Dubai Tennis Championships 3R Win
Eala began her campaign at the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships with a walkover into the second round after her first-round opponent, lucky loser Hailey Baptiste, withdrew during the second set due to injury, with the score at 6-4, 0-1.
In the second round, Eala defeated sixth seed Jasmine Paolini with a score of 6-1, 7-6(5), and then secured her place in the quarterfinals by overcoming Sorana Cîrstea, winning 7-5, 6-4 in the third round.
After her win over Cîrstea at the Dubai Tennis Championships, while packing her tennis kit bag, Eala spotted a fan in the stands holding a sign that asked her to marry their son. In response, she declined the proposal by shaking her head and gesturing with her finger.
Alex Eala’s reaction to a sign in the crowd after her win over Cirstea in Dubai
“Alex marry my son please”
Alex with the finger wag ☝️
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/oEzzeHeXyS
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 18, 2026
Before competing in Dubai, Eala participated in the Abu Dhabi Open and the Qatar Open. In Abu Dhabi, she lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual runner-up, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and in Doha, she was eliminated in the first round by qualifier Tereza Valentová.
Eala’s Next Opponent in the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships QF
Following her win over Cîrstea in the third round of the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships, Eala is set to face third seed Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Gauff is seeded third at the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament and started her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4 in her opening match and advanced to the quarterfinals by eliminating Elise Mertens with a score of 2-6, 7-6(9), 6-3 in the third round.
Eala and Gauff have never faced each other on the WTA Tour, and their upcoming match in Dubai will be their first encounter. Interestingly, while they have not competed against each other in singles on the WTA Tour, both players did team up for doubles at the 2025 Italian Open. They received a Wild Card entry into the main draw and reached the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual champions, third-seeded Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.
The winner of the quarterfinal match between Eala and Gauff at the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships will advance to face either seventh seed Elina Svitolina or lucky loser Antonia Ružić in the semifinals of the tournament.
