Alex Eala and Janice Tjen advance in Abu Dhabi: what their win teaches about match fitness

Alex Eala and Janice Tjen opened their Abu Dhabi Open doubles campaign with a gritty win that looked like a tennis match and felt like a fitness test.

The Southeast Asian duo beat Leylah Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic 7–5, 3–6, 10–6 on Court 1 (early Wednesday, Manila time), booking a place in the quarterfinals. Eala (WTA No. 45) and Tjen (WTA No. 47) are partnering for the first time, and they handled the momentum swings when it mattered most.

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How the match was won

The first set came down to timing. After a run of early holds, Eala and Tjen found a late break to take it 7–5.

Fernandez and Mladenovic responded with experience and control in the second set, leveling the match 6–3.

Then the super tiebreak turned into a pressure cooker:

• Eala and Tjen jumped to 2–0, later led 5–3, and still had to reset after a costly double fault.
  
  

• At 6–6, they lifted again, using back-to-back net winners to move ahead 9–6 and close the match.
  
  

That ability to recompose under fatigue is exactly what “match fitness” looks like in real time.

What this tells you about tennis conditioning

Doubles is short bursts, constant resets, and quick decision-making when your breathing is up. This match is a perfect example of three fitness traits that separate “good on the practice court” from “good under pressure.”

1) Pacing wins points you never play

Many players go too hard early, especially in big moments. But tennis rewards the athlete who can repeat effort after effort without leaking energy. The better your pacing, the more “clean” your movement stays late in the match.

2) Recovery between points is a skill

The super tiebreak showed how fast momentum can flip. Your goal is to bring your heart rate down quickly between points so your hands stay steady and your footwork stays sharp.

Practical training idea: add short, repeatable intervals (20–40 seconds of hard work, 20–40 seconds easy) to mimic tennis patterns.

3) Strength keeps technique stable when fatigue hits

When legs are heavy, the first things to go are positioning and control. Strength training supports:

• explosive first steps
  
  

• shoulder stability for repeated hitting
  
  

• core control for rotation and balance
  
  

A structured option that builds progressive strength without overcomplication is Strength Development.

Match week basics: hydrate, refuel, and don’t guess

Eala’s schedule also includes singles, where she’s set to face Aliaksandra Sasnovich (world No. 109) in the round-of-16. When you’re competing across singles and doubles, the basics decide how you show up the next day.

• Hydrate consistently, not just during play
  
  

• Keep post-match nutrition simple and reliable
  
  

• Prioritise sleep and light movement for recovery
  
  

If you want an easy daily benchmark, use the Water Intake Calculator.

Source: abs-cbn.com

The opinions shared in the blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.