WTA Tour schedule change for Alex Eala has knock-on effect for Elina Svitolina

Alex Eala is set to face Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships.

Eala, who closed out Centre Court sessions in both the second and third rounds, has been moved up to start the night session this time around.

Following her match against Gauff, Elina Svitolina will take on Antonia Ruzic in the next quarterfinal.

It might not seem significant at first glance, but this change could have a knock-on effect on crowd numbers for Svitolina’s match later in the evening…

Alex Eala schedule change may impact crowd for Svitolina’s quarterfinal

If there’s one thing the early rounds of the Dubai Tennis Championships have shown, it’s that Eala has quickly become one of the sport’s biggest draws.

Her fans follow her wherever she goes and have supported her every step of the way in the UAE.

That’s great for Eala and the tournament, as Filipino supporters have done wonders for ticket sales, but there is a knock-on effect for other players.

A large portion of Eala’s fanbase (not all!) are there to support her, and that’s as far as they’ll go.

It isn’t a problem when she’s scheduled last on, with fans happy to watch earlier matches before their main event takes centre stage. We saw evidence in round three when Gauff and Mertens played out a three-set battle in front of an energetic crowd.

But everyone knew who most people had come to see. Gauff even apologised during her post-match interview, noting how long Eala’s fans had been waiting to see their favourite player. However, when Eala isn’t closing out the session, it can lead to issues. It doesn’t seem likely that many Filipino fans will stick around after her match ends to watch Svitolina take on Ruzic next.

The timing change could mean plenty of empty seats by then – something that might not have happened if they’d kept Svitolina vs Ruzic first up. It would be unfortunate for Svitolina – a former world number three and four-time WTA 1000 champion – to play in front of just a few hundred fans instead of what could have been a full stadium if she’d been scheduled ahead of Eala.

The switch doesn’t add up from that perspective, though no doubt tournament organisers felt they had their reasons behind it.

Eala’s quarterfinal time change suits her fans back home

It’s listed as ‘Not before 7pm’ local time, which in Manila is 11pm. Since the second match depends on how long the first goes, it could easily push past 9pm local time, which would mean a start after 1am in the Philippines.

That makes for a late night back home. Scheduling Eala earlier helps Filipino fans catch her match at a more reasonable hour.

As Eala’s profile continues to grow, especially with backing from Smart Sports and her consistent performances on the tour, there’s clear value in supporting that fanbase.

But it might also be an opportunity missed. There are good reasons to keep her later on the schedule too.

If Filipino viewers are tuning in specifically for Eala, they’re naturally going to catch whoever plays before her. That exposure could help other players build their own followings in the region.

If Svitolina and Ruzic had opened the session and delivered a quality match, some fans might stick around or take note of them for future tournaments.

That said, many will likely switch off once Eala’s match ends — and you can’t blame them at that hour.

This is one of those situations where there isn’t an obvious right answer. Every scheduling decision comes with trade-offs. But if organisers want to maximise Eala’s growing influence, they’ll need to tread carefully with future choices like this one.

Read more: