NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 27: Alexandra Eala of the Philippines reacts against Cristina Bucsa of Spain during their Women's Singles Second Round match on Day Four of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2025 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by ELSA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala was swept aside by qualifier Tereza Valentova of Czechia, 6-1, 6-2, in the Round of 32 of the Japan Women’s Open on Tuesday in Osaka.
Valentova, currently ranked World No. 78, dominated the Filipino tennis ace in an hour and 29 minutes.
The Philippines is looking to revive discussions to update the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), in a bid to widen market access for local agricultural products. Jpepa is the country’s first bilateral free trade agreement that came into force in December 2008. It aims to liberalize and facilitate trade in goods and services between both