Rich Palawan Open ushers in new era for PH tennis

Local tennis continues its upward surge as the Palawan Open 2026 fires off on May 24 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, promising one of the most competitive and record-setting editions of the championship in recent years. Featuring an international cast and a ₱2 million prize pool, the tournament is expected to deliver high-level action throughout the week.

India’s Digvijay Pratap Singh, who reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 485, headlines the stacked field and is determined to assert his dominance against a formidable local contingent led by some of the country’s top players, including multi-titled AJ Lim and Eric Jed Olivarez.

Asian Games veteran and former junior Grand Slam campaigner Casey Alcantara also joins a formidable local cast set to test their mettle against a strong international field in the landmark tournament designed not only to crown champions but also to elevate the level of Philippine tennis by giving homegrown talents rare exposure to world-class competition.

With a growing pool of Filipino players eager to break through on the international stage, the week-long championship aims to provide local aces and rising stars the kind of high-level environment – one where they can measure themselves against seasoned foreign campaigners while gaining valuable experience in pressure-packed matches.

Joining Lim, Olivarez and Alcantara are John Benedict Aguilar, Nilo Ledama, Vicente Anasta, Arthur Pantino, John Kendrick Bona and Ronard Joven, along with Jarell Edangga, Lance Fernandez, Noel Salupado and Loucas Fernandez, all hoping to make the most of the rare opportunity to compete in what organizers describe as the biggest Open tournament staged in the country in many years.

The tournament also builds on the momentum generated by the successful inaugural Philippine Women’s Open earlier this year, which drew significant attention following the participation of rising global sensation Alex Eala in her first local tournament appearance after her breakthrough performances on the world stage.

The men’s singles champion will earn P300,000, with the runner-up receiving P150,000 and the losing semifinalists taking home P100,000 each. The women’s singles titlist, meanwhile, will pocket P100,000.

To accommodate the overwhelming number of entries, the organizing Palawan Group of Companies will conduct a three-day qualifying tournament from May 21-23 starting at 7 a.m. at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, where more than 300 hopefuls are expected to battle for coveted spots in the main draw.

Presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, Gentry and Bagong Pilipinas, the blue-ribbon event is supported and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) and Universal Tennis Rating (UTR).

Backing the event are Dunlop as the official ball, Franchise One Hotel (official hotel), Queens at Bollywood Restaurant (official restaurant), Darlings Fine Jewels, Victoria Linen and Palawan Group of Companies.

More importantly, organizers see the tournament as the foundation of a long-term program aimed at rebuilding Philippine tennis from the grassroots to the elite level.

“This tournament is more than just a competition – it is an investment in the future of Philippine tennis,” said Bobby Castro, founder and chairman of Palawan Group of Companies. “We want to give Filipino players consistent opportunities to compete at a high level here at home, expose them to international-caliber matches and inspire the next generation of champions.”

Castro added that the annual staging of the event reflects their continuing commitment to discovering and developing future stars.

“Our goal is to institutionalize the tournament and help create a sustainable pathway for young Filipino talents. By bringing major competitions to different parts of the country, we hope to strengthen not only the sport but also local communities and tourism,” he said.

Organizers also revealed that the tournament will become a yearly fixture rotating across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, giving various cities and provinces the rare opportunity to host a premier tennis spectacle while energizing local sports development programs.

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