The Singapore Open is dangling a total purse of $1.2-million (P75.43 million), leaving Alex Eala and a bevy of the world’s top players battling for the singles champion prize of $185,000 or P11.63 million at the OCBC Arena.

The 21-year-old Filipina arrived at Changi Airport Thursday as she begins her campaign in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 500 tournament, where she is in line to receive the No. 3 seed.

Eala moved up the seeding list after world No. 3 Jessica Pegula of the United States, No. 13 Diana Shnaider of Russia and No. 15 Sorana Cirstea of Romania withdrew from the event that starts Monday.

Only the top four seeds will receive first-round byes, with world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva and No. 10 Amanda Anisimova of the United States leading the field.

Also entered are world No. 19 Elise Mertens of Belgium, No. 21 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia, No. 26 Maja Chwalinska of Poland, No. 28 Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic and No. 33 Maria Sakkari of Greece.

The field is completed by No. 37 Donna Vekic of Croatia, No. 38 Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, No. 40 Wang Xinyu of China, No. 41 Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine and No. 51 Janice Tjen of Indonesia.

The runnerup’s prize is pegged at $114,500 while the semifinalists stand to receive $66,003 apiece and the quarterfinalists pocket $33,475.

Those playing in the first round are assured of $12,700 and those reaching Round 2 are guaranteed $17,795.

Eala enters the tournament refreshed after taking a short break in the Philippines following a grueling North American swing that saw her capture the Washington Open and reach the third round of the US Open.

Singapore will also serve as Eala’s final tuneup for the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, where she will compete from 27 September to 3 October at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center after opting to skip the China Open.

Philippine Tennis Association executive director Tonette Mendoza said Eala’s Singapore schedule will not pose a problem on her Asiad stint even if she reaches the final on 27 September.

“Actually, the first round is over two days. She will play at the earliest very late in the evening of the 28th if she doesn’t have a bye,” Mendoza said.

“But if she has a bye, she’s going to play on the 29th. It’s really safe.”

A Singapore title would give Eala 500 ranking points and provide a boost to her ranking before the Asiad.

Despite skipping the mandatory China Open, Eala will still be able to accumulate ranking points in succeeding WTA events.

She is scheduled to return to action at the Wuhan Open on 12 October, nine days after the women’s singles final in Nagoya.