Croatia’s Donna Vekic and Colombia’s Camila Osorio earned contrasting victories in Friday’s (January 30) semifinals, setting up a thrilling title clash at the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Saturday, January 31. Vekic, the No. 5 seed, rallied the hometown crowd to a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Russian Tatiana Prozorova in just one hour and 16 minutes, ending Prozorova’s impressive tournament run.

Osorio, also seeded fifth, followed with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 win over Argentina’s Solana Sierra in 46 minutes, recovering from her previous defeat to local favorite Alex Eala. The results set the stage for the singles championship match of the maiden WTA 125 competition, organized by the Philippine Tennis Association and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Vekic and Osorio reflect on their journeys

Currently ranked No. 72, Vekic acknowledged that Osorio, ranked 84th, would pose a tough challenge. “She has been playing very well. Both of us have a good chance, so I will have to come up with a good game plan with my coach,” said the Paris Olympic Games silver medalist. Vekic credited her strong serve throughout the tournament for helping her navigate tough situations and maintain control of matches.

Osorio, who dreamed of becoming a professional player since the age of six, said reaching the final was “amazing” and expressed excitement for the upcoming championship. She highlighted that her previous encounter with Vekic gave her valuable experience. “It’s going to be a challenge. She’s aggressive and likes to be on top of the ball, so I have to be ready and try to be physical with her,” Osorio explained.

The Croatian embraced the support of local fans. “Against Camila, I hope they will be cheering for me tomorrow,” Vekic said, reflecting the strong connection she has built with the Filipino crowd. Osorio added that her growing experience on the WTA tour has prepared her for the rematch. “I was younger during our first match. Now I have more match experience and I’ve been playing well in the past few days,” she said.

Doubles champions and tournament impact

In doubles action, Hong Kong’s Eudice Chong and Taiwan’s Liang En-Shou rallied from a 0-1 deficit to defeat top-seeded Americans Quinn Gleason and Sabrina Santamaria 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 10-6, capturing the women’s doubles title in nearly two hours. Their cohesion and teamwork grew stronger as the match progressed, demonstrating the quality of play at the event.

The doubles final marked one of the first achievements of the National Sports Tourism-Interagency Committee under PSC Chairperson Patrick “Pato” Gregorio. The tournament overall highlighted the Philippines’ ability to host world-class international tennis events while engaging fans and nurturing tennis talent.