(VIDEO) Alexandra Eala stunned on court while Marta Kostyuk sparks birthday singalong in Roland Garros
WTASaturday, 23 May 2026 at 21:57
Just one day before the start of the French Open, Filipina Alexandra Eala celebrated her 21st birthday in the middle of preparations for the second Grand Slam of the year. Between training sessions, she received support and birthday greetings from both colleagues and the local crowd.
During her training session, she starred in a special moment with her peers. Eala was training with the recent Madrid Open champion Marta Kostyuk (No. 15), and the Ukrainian led the present fans to join in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the young Filipina. At that moment, another of Eala’s friends on Tour, Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez (No. 59), also joined in.
Eva Lys (No. 82) and Iva Jovic (No. 17) joined Sönmez to present her with a birthday cake on court. The moments captured by fans were shared on social media, showing the young stars laughing and celebrating on-court, in the middle of training sessions just one day before the start of the tournament.
Roland Garros preparations and first-round challenge
Eala is seeking her first win at Roland Garros, after being eliminated on her debut a year ago against Colombia’s Emiliana Arango. It will be a difficult mission following a tough first-round draw against 17th seed Jovic — precisely the same player she was laughing with today for her birthday, showing their friendship off the court.
The American had already reached the second round at Roland Garros a year ago at just 17 years old, and this time she arrives with renewed confidence, especially considering that her most recent Grand Slam appearance ended with a run to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
Eala arrives at the tournament with a 4–5 record on clay so far, and her latest appearance was a first-round defeat at the Strasbourg Open last week against Oleksandra Oliynykova (6-3, 5-7, 3-6) After that, the Filipina quickly traveled to Paris to prepare for Roland Garros.
Doubles main draw confirmation
Eala has also been confirmed for the doubles main draw, where she will form a high-profile partnership with Victoria Mboko. Although both are focused on singles, they will form an interesting pairing between two of the most prominent young names on the WTA Tour, adding extra attention to the doubles main draw. Eala previously won the junior doubles title in 2021, alongside Oksana Selekhmeteva.
A year ago, Eala partnered with Mexico’s Renata Zarazúa and reached the second round. This time, Eala and Mboko will debut on Tuesday against the duo of Diana Shnaider and Leylah Fernandez — another pair with strong singles credentials, though with more doubles experience than the young duo of Mboko and Eala.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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