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Eala Heads To Madrid After Stuttgart Exit
Photo credit: Alex Eala
Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala is shifting her focus to the clay-court swing in Spain after an early exit at the Stuttgart Open, with the Madrid Open set to begin on April 21.
Eala is expected to continue her preparations on clay as she joins a highly competitive field in one of the biggest tournaments on the WTA calendar.
The Madrid Open, a WTA 1000 event, features a 96-player main draw packed with top-ranked players, including world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, as well as major contenders like Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina.
The clay season is considered one of the most demanding stretches in tennis, requiring players to quickly adjust to slower surfaces and longer rallies as they build toward the French Open.
French Open prize money increases
Attention is also building toward Roland Garros, where organizers announced that total prize money for this year’s French Open will rise to $72.1 million, an increase of nearly 10 percent.
The men’s and women’s singles champions will each earn $3.25 million, while the runners-up will receive $1.6 million. Players eliminated in the first round will still take home $100,000.
Alcaraz, Gauff lead title defenses
On the men’s side, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returns as the two-time defending champion, aiming to add another Grand Slam title to his growing career tally.
In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff will defend her crown as she targets a third Grand Slam title.
For Eala, Madrid offers another opportunity to gain valuable experience against elite competition as she continues her development on the WTA Tour’s biggest stages.
Eala is expected to continue her preparations on clay as she joins a highly competitive field in one of the biggest tournaments on the WTA calendar.
The Madrid Open, a WTA 1000 event, features a 96-player main draw packed with top-ranked players, including world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, as well as major contenders like Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina.
The clay season is considered one of the most demanding stretches in tennis, requiring players to quickly adjust to slower surfaces and longer rallies as they build toward the French Open.
French Open prize money increases
Attention is also building toward Roland Garros, where organizers announced that total prize money for this year’s French Open will rise to $72.1 million, an increase of nearly 10 percent.
The men’s and women’s singles champions will each earn $3.25 million, while the runners-up will receive $1.6 million. Players eliminated in the first round will still take home $100,000.
Alcaraz, Gauff lead title defenses
On the men’s side, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returns as the two-time defending champion, aiming to add another Grand Slam title to his growing career tally.
In the women’s draw, Coco Gauff will defend her crown as she targets a third Grand Slam title.
For Eala, Madrid offers another opportunity to gain valuable experience against elite competition as she continues her development on the WTA Tour’s biggest stages.
Apr 17, 2026
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