WTA Stars Shine as Eala Advances in Doubles at Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

ABU DHABI: Several top WTA players secured quarterfinal spots at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on Tuesday, while Filipina rising star Alex Eala impressed in doubles action at Zayed Sports City. In singles matches, seventh seed Liudmila Samsonova defeated Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in straight sets, while McCartney Kessler knocked out reigning Mubadala Citi DC Open champion Leylah Fernandez. Hailey Baptiste later won an all-American clash against Emma Navarro to complete the quarterfinal lineup. In doubles, Eala and Tjen thrilled a packed crowd by defeating Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic in a dramatic super tiebreak. Off the court, players engaged in fan and community activities, including hospital visits and a Special Olympics clinic. Tournament director Nigel Gupta praised the atmosphere, with defending champion Belinda Bencic set to make her debut on Wednesday. The tournament runs until Feb. 7.