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Alex Eala advances in Dubai Open as Hailey Baptiste retires

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Aiming to make up for her first-round exit in Doha the previous week, Alex Eala was firing on all cylinders as she methodically dismantled Hailey Baptiste of the United States in the opening set before the American retired in the second.

The Filipina ace secured a 6-4, 0-1 (ret) victory in the first round of the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships on Sunday.

Baptiste entered the main draw as a Lucky Loser after dropping her final qualifying match, where she had been the top seed.

The 24-year-old American, however, has had a strong start to her 2026 season, reaching the third round of the Australian Open in January and the semifinals of the WTA 500 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open earlier this month, helping her climb to a career-high ranking of 39th in the world.

Eala, now also ranked a career-high 40th, drew inspiration from their previous encounter when she defeated Baptiste in three sets in the qualifiers of the 2025 WTA 250 Eastbourne Open last June.

The first set was a tightly contested affair, tied at 3-3 after an exchange of service breaks.

Eala pulled ahead by breaking Baptiste again in the seventh game and then holding serve to go up 5-3. Baptiste attempted to narrow the gap at 5-4, but Eala comfortably held serve in the 10th game to take the set.

Playing the first featured match of the evening at Center Court of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Eala delighted the predominantly Filipino crowd with her trademark scrambling defense and versatile shot-making, which effectively neutralized Baptiste’s powerful groundstrokes.

The second set promised another close battle as the two players battled through a first game filled with multiple deuces.

Eala had four break-point opportunities, but Baptiste managed to hold serve. That proved to be Baptiste’s final resistance, as she retired during the changeover due to a reported abdominal injury.

The 20-year-old Eala will have a day to recover before returning to action on Tuesday, when she will face a tough challenge against world No. 8 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, who received a first-round bye.

The 30-year-old Paolini, a finalist at both the 2024 French Open and Wimbledon, reached a career-high No. 4 ranking last year, making her a formidable opponent for the rising Filipina star.

The post Alex Eala advances in Dubai Open as Hailey Baptiste retires appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

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Eya Laure powers Choco Mucho to back-to-back wins in PVL AFC, downs skidding Nxled

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Eya Laure took control in the clutch as Choco Mucho extended its surge, handing Nxled its third straight loss with a hard-fought four-set 27-25, 28-26, 16-25, 25-19 victory in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday at the Filoil Centre.

Playing off the bench to manage an abdominal strain, Laure sparked the Flying Titans’ stunning comeback from a 9-15 deficit in the fourth set, unleashing a 16-4 finishing run that gave the team their first winning streak of the conference and evened their record at 3-3.

Facing a six-point deficit, Choco Mucho responded with a seven-point swing to take a narrow 16-15 lead. Brooke Van Sickle and Lyann de Guzman countered with back-to-back points to help the Chameleons retake the lead.

PVL-AFC-26-Choco-Mucho-vs.-Nxled-Sisi-Rondina-7941 Eya Laure powers Choco Mucho to back-to-back wins in PVL AFC, downs skidding Nxled News PVL Volleyball  - philippine sports news

(C) PVL Images

However, Laure took over, delivering six points in a 9-3 run that sealed the win for the Flying Titans.

Laure, who came off the bench in the first through fourth sets before starting in the fifth, finished with 13 points—all from attacks—in Choco Mucho’s two-hour triumph, as the team bounced back emphatically from a three-game skid.

“Sobrang happy ako sa naging performance ng team namin kasi ‘yun naman talaga ‘yung hinahanap namin sa kanila, kung paano kami maglaro,” said Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin.

“Although may mga problema nung first set, talagang sabi ko nga sa kanila, sila lang talaga ‘yung makakakuha ng solusyon kung ano ang gagawin namin. Ayun, naging maganda naman ‘yung takbo ng team. Sobrang thankful kami sa panalo,” he added.

Sisi Rondina led Choco Mucho with 24 points on 21 attacks, two aces, and one kill block, along with 20 excellent receptions and eight excellent digs.

Kat Tolentino added 15 points, while Lorraine Pecana and Des Cheng contributed eight and seven points, respectively.

Deanna Wong orchestrated the offense with 24 excellent sets, and Thang Ponce recorded 21 excellent digs.

Choco Mucho will aim for a third straight win when they face Farm Fresh next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue.

PVL-AFC-26-Choco-Mucho-vs.-Nxled-Brooke-Van-Sickle-8021 Eya Laure powers Choco Mucho to back-to-back wins in PVL AFC, downs skidding Nxled News PVL Volleyball  - philippine sports news

(C) PVL Images

Meanwhile, Nxled’s struggles continued as they dropped their third consecutive loss, sliding to 3-3 after winning their first three games.

Van Sickle tallied 20 points on 17 attacks, two service aces, and one kill block, along with 18 excellent receptions, while MJ Phillips added 13 points.

The road only gets tougher for Nxled as they prepare to face Creamline on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Filoil Centre in San Juan, hoping to end their slump.

The post Eya Laure powers Choco Mucho to back-to-back wins in PVL AFC, downs skidding Nxled appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

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Eya Laure enjoys facing sis EJ, grateful for ‘other ate’ Sisi Rondina’s support

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Eya Laure made sure to savor the rare opportunity to share the court with her sister EJ.

Though they stood on opposite sides of the net on Tuesday, the moment was one she deeply appreciated — a meaningful chapter in their shared journey after years of playing side by side from college to their early days in the Premier Volleyball League with Chery Tiggo.

“Actually, namimiss ko siya kasama,” said Eya following Choco Mucho’s 27-25, 28-26, 16-25, 25-19 win over EJ’s Nxled in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference at the Filoil Centre.

“Pero iba pala yung feeling kapag kalaban ko siya. Kasi last na nakalaban ko siya, parang high school pa ako, tas college na, nagtu-tune up kami.”

That appreciation, however, did not erase the unfamiliarity of facing her sister as an opponent.

Still, Eya said she was simply happy to see her sister back on the same court with her, even if it meant standing on opposite sides of the net.

PVL-AFC-26-Choco-Mucho-vs.-Nxled-Sisi-Rondina-Eya-Laure-9066 Eya Laure enjoys facing sis EJ, grateful for 'other ate' Sisi Rondina’s support News PVL Volleyball  - philippine sports news

(C) PVL Images

“Masaya lang ako, masaya ako na sabay kaming nakakapaglaro until now. Nakakatuwa kasi siyempre, parang pagka nakikita ko siyang pumapalo, alam ko na kaagad kung saan siya pupunta e,” said the Alas Pilipinas standout.

Eya came up big for the Flying Titans, scoring six of the team’s final 10 points to fuel a comeback from a 9-15 deficit in the fourth set and help secure their second consecutive win. She finished with 13 points on 13 attacks in the two-hour victory.

Meanwhile, EJ registered three points, playing only in the first two sets of the tightly contested match.

“Parang gano’n, sabi ko, gano’n ako ka-familiar sa ate ko. Na-miss ko rin kasi, siyempre, last namin, last kaming nagkasama, is last year? Last, last year. So ayun, parang iba lang yung feeling na ate mo yung kalaban mo,” Eya said.

Despite her heroics, Eya admitted it was a tough match, managing an abdominal strain along the way. She was, however, grateful to have another sister, Sisi Rondina, by her side, helping her navigate the challenges on the court.

“Pero buti na lang nandiyan si Ate Sisi sa side ko na ‘to tap. Kasi kung ano yung ginagawa ni Ate Sisi sa akin na pag-tap or pag-remind, yun yung ginagawa kasi ng ate ko before,” she said.

“So ayun lang, masaya na marami akong ate sa paligid ko.”

The post Eya Laure enjoys facing sis EJ, grateful for ‘other ate’ Sisi Rondina’s support appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

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Dallas Trinity FC home ground designated for World Cup training

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The home ground of Dallas Trinity FC, the Cotton Bowl Stadium at Fair Park, and Southern Methodist University (SMU) both in Dallas, have been confirmed to serve as official, venue-specific training sites for teams playing at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas during the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Cotton Bowl hosted World Cup games during USA 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Teams will use these locations for training in the days leading up to their matches at Arlington. 

The post Dallas Trinity FC home ground designated for World Cup training appeared first on Score Nigeria.

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