Alex Eala aims to continue winning ways in Toronto vs Alycia Parks

Alex Eala of the Philippines returns a shot during a women’s singles match against Naomi Osaka of Japan on day six of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on August 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Fresh off winning her first WTA Tour title, Alex Eala seeks to carry her momentum into the Canadian Open.

Eala is riding high after claiming the biggest title of her career at the DC Open on Tuesday and she looks to continue her winning ways against American Alycia Parks in the round of 64 in Toronto on Thursday, 8:10 a.m. (Manila time), at Center Court.

READ: Alex Eala: Filipino dreamer to WTA winner

The Filipino ace, who got a first-round bye as the 25th seed in the WTA 1000 hard court tournament, takes on her Australian Open tormentor, Parks.

Eala was beaten by Parks, 6-0, 3-6, 2-6, in the opening round in Melbourne last January.

The 21-year-old Eala, however, is playing her best tennis yet this season with a historic run at Wimbledon and a maiden WTA 500 crown in Washington when she stunned American World No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the final.

The Filipino trailblazer, who is now the World No. 20, dazzled in DC, rallying past Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez in the first two rounds and sweeping second seed Elina Svitolina, and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinal and semifinal, respectively, before defeating Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, in the title round.

READ: Alex Eala just getting started after WTA Tour breakthrough title

Parks took down qualifier Victoria Kasintseva, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the Canadian Open, also known as the National Bank Open.

If Eala, the heavy favorite, handles Parks, she moves on to face either Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova or American Caty McNally in the second round.

Eala bowed out in the round of 128 of the Canadian Open last year in Montreal, losing to Marketa Vondrousova, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6.