Just In: Alex Eala given tough Canadian Open draw with Grand Slam champion waiting for her in third round
The draw for the 2026 Canadian Open women’s singles event has been made.
Filipina sensation Alex Eala will receive a bye into the second round, where she will play the American Alycia Parks or a qualifier.
If she wins that match, she will take on a newly crowned Grand Slam champion in round three of the Canadian Open.
Alex Eala could play Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the third round of the Canadian Open
Eala could play the 2026 Wimbledon champion, Linda Noskova, in the third round of the Canadian Open.
Noskova shocked the world by winning Wimbledon last month, picking up her maiden Grand Slam title in style.
The Czech currently sits seventh in the WTA rankings, 21 places above Eala.
Eala lost to Noskova at the Miami Open and the Berlin Open this year.
The Filipina failed to take a set off her Czech opponent in both matches, but did beat Noskova when they were juniors, at the French Open five years ago.
Eala would likely walk on court as a heavy underdog, although there is a chance she plays someone other than Noskova in the third round.
To face Eala, Noskova will first need to beat Caty McNally or a qualifier.
If Eala can pull off the upset and reach the fourth round, she would likely meet another Czech player, Marie Bouzkova.
Bouzkova is ranked four places above Eala, and like Noskova, leads their head-to-head 2-0.
Alternatively, she could play Belinda Bencic in the last 16, a former Olympic gold medalist.
Eala’s fans might not want to hear this, but things don’t get much easier as the draw goes on…
Two-time major champion Coco Gauff is Eala’s projected quarter-final opponent.
She could then play Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals and Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
If Eala is to win her maiden WTA 1000 title in Canada, she’ll have to do it the hard way!
The 2026 Canadian Open begins on Sunday, August 2, but Eala won’t play until Tuesday, August 3, or Wednesday, August 4, when the second round of matches start
Could Alex Eala travel to Canada as the Washington Open champion?
Eala has a lot to look forward to in Toronto, but won’t want to concern herself with the draw just yet as she has work to do in Washington.
Defeating Qinwen Zheng and Leylah Fernandez, the Filipina booked her place in the Washington Open quarter-finals, where she will play Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
Washington Open quarter-finals
- Jessica Pegula vs Anna Kalinskaya
- Diana Shnaider vs Liudmila Samsonova
- Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Naomi Osaka
- Alex Eala vs Elina Svitolina
Eala won their one previous meeting at the Berlin Open this year, 6-3, 6-4.
Alex Eala vs Elina Svitolina – Match stats
| Stats | Alex Eala | Elina Svitolina |
| Aces | 3 | 4 |
| Double faults | 2 | 7 |
| 1st Serve % | 59% | 73% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 79% | 68% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 44% | 75% |
| Break points | 5/10 | 3/6 |
However, we have yet to see Eala and Svitolina do battle on hard courts, where the matchup could change dramatically.
They will play their quarter-final match on Friday, July 31, and have been scheduled as the penultimate match on Stadium Court.
