Try GOLD - Free
Eala faces ‘fastest server’ Alycia Parks of US in Round One of AO
Business World Philippines
|January 16, 2026
AND the battle lines are drawn.
-
ALEXANDRA EALA on Day 2 of the 2026 Kooyong Classic on Jan. 14 in Melbourne, Australia.
Filipina sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala will face “fastest server” Alycia Parks of the United States to kick off her highly-anticipated main draw debut in the Australian Open (AO) this weekend at the Melbourne Park.
It will be an acid test for the 20-year-old Filipina according to Thursday’s official draw for the 128-player major, slugging it out against the American ace who currently shares the distinction of the fastest serve by a woman tennis player in history.
Ms. Parks, 25, tied the record of Venus Williams (2007) for the fastest female serve ever with 129 miles per hour in a 6-3, 7-5 defeat to No. 68 Olga Danilović of Serbia in the first round of the 2021 US Open.
Albeit ranked lower now at No. 100 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), that should serve as enough warning for a tall order Ms. Eala, WTA No. 49, needs to hurdle in a bid to reach the second round.
This story is from the January 16, 2026 edition of Business World Philippines.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Business World Philippines
Business World Philippines
Flashback
Nostalgia is in the air during and after the holiday season.
4 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
Peso slips to fresh record low on rate cut bets
THE Philippine peso weakened to a new record low against the dollar on Thursday as markets priced in the possibility that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could cut interest rates ahead of the US Federal Reserve.
2 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
China, Canada move to reset ties as Carney visits
China is willing to deepen cooperation with Canada while eliminating \"interference,\" Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.
1 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
Gov't partnerships with private sector seen to boost transparency in public works projects
TAPPING PRIVATE and development partners for state infrastructure projects may help improve efficiency and transparency as the Philippine government continues to deal with the economic fallout from a corruption scandal linked to public works.
5 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
Remittances dip to 6-month low in Nov.
MONEY SENT HOME by overseas Filipino workers (OFW) fell to its lowest level in six months in November, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported.
2 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
PERA could boost returns for state pension funds
STATE PENSION FUNDS in the Philippines could unlock higher returns while reducing market risks by linking stock investment loan programs to the personal equity and retirement account (PERA) framework, analysts said.
1 min
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
Philippines risks slowdown this year as election spending effect wanes
THE PHILIPPINES risks losing economic momentum in 2026 unless reforms are carried out to extend the lift from election-related spending last year, according to a state think tank.
4 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
It’s the corruption, sir
The October year-on-year plunge in FDI is not a statistical accident. It is a verdict.
5 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
Job shortage tops worries of Philippine business leaders – WEF
A SHORTAGE of jobs is emerging as the biggest worry for Philippine business leaders, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), a sign that economic growth risks falling short of what's needed to absorb workers over the next two years.
2 mins
January 16, 2026
Business World Philippines
PHL seen indirectly affected by Trump's 25% tariff on some chips
US PRESIDENT Donald J. Trump's 25% tariff on certain semiconductors, particularly on advanced computing chips, is likely to affect Philippine manufacturers only indirectly, an analyst said.
2 mins
January 16, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size