Watch Alex Eala’s Asian Games Opening Match: Time, TV, Live Stream

Alex Eala Begins Asian Games Campaign Against Patcharin Cheapchandej

After a tough loss at the Singapore Open, Alexandra Eala swiftly turns her focus to the Asian Games in Nagoya. The Filipino tennis star will face Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej in the women’s singles Round of 16 on Monday, September 28, 2026.

Eala enters this tournament as the top seed and holds the highest ranking in the women’s singles bracket at No. 18 in the WTA standings. She bypassed the first round, while Cheapchandej earned her spot by defeating Pakistan’s Mahin Aftab Qureshi 6-1, 6-1 in under an hour on Sunday.

Match Time and Order of Play

The match is set for Centre Court on Monday but does not have a fixed start time. Centre Court play kicks off at 9 a.m. Philippine time with men’s singles between Japan’s Hayato Matsuoka and Hong Kong’s Kairan Thompson. Following a women’s doubles match featuring Japan versus Nepal, Eala and Cheapchandej will take the court.

The timing depends on how long the preceding matches last, so fans should check live updates on the official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 results site.

Where to Watch Alex Eala’s Match

Fans in the Philippines can catch Eala’s matches live thanks to Cignal, which invested around Php 1 million to install dedicated cameras and digital equipment at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center. This effort was necessary because tennis was not guaranteed a live world feed from the host broadcaster.

Coverage will be available on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play, and Pilipinas Live. Other viewing options include RPTV and the One Sports YouTube channel.

Previous Encounter and Ranking Gap

Eala has experience against Cheapchandej, having beaten her 6-3, 6-4 at the 2022 ITF W25 Chiang Rai event in Thailand, which Eala won. Since then, the difference between them has grown, with Eala ranked 18th globally while the 31-year-old Thai player sits at 510. Cheapchandej has claimed 13 ITF singles titles but never rose above No. 356 in WTA rankings.

Eala also aims to bounce back after her recent three-hour battle in Singapore where she lost to Tatiana Prozorova in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Asian Games Gold and Olympic Implications

More than just a medal is at stake for Eala. Winning the Asian Games could secure her a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics via an ITF Place, provided she meets eligibility rules. The champion must be ranked within the world’s top 500 and their country must not have already filled its four-player singles quota through direct qualification. At No. 18, Eala comfortably fits these criteria.

This Asian Games marks the first opportunity for players to earn an ITF Place toward the Olympics. Eala chose Nagoya over the China Open, a mandatory WTA 1000 event, despite potential penalties like a $10,000 fine or loss of ranking points if the WTA denies the exemption request filed by the Philippine Tennis Association.

"You know, the Asian Games happens once every four years," Eala said about her choice. "I just found myself drawn to compete in that over other stuff."

She already earned bronze medals in women’s singles and mixed doubles at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, but now arrives as the No. 1 seed and a serious contender for gold. Success here would not only upgrade her medal but also pave her way to representing the Philippines at the Los Angeles Olympics.