ALEXANDRA EALA has officially entered the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Top 50, becoming the first Filipina to reach this elite ranking.
The 20-year-old tennis star was No. 51 before this week’s ranking was released.
Eala’s rise was fueled by standout performances, including a semifinal finish at the WTA 1000 Miami Open, a first-round win at the US Open, and a title run at the WTA 125 Guadalajara Open.
The win in Mexico was the first by a Filipina in the WTA.
The results helped her climb steadily through the rankings and earn recognition as one of the sport’s rising talents.
Eala’s top 50 breakthrough is a major milestone not just for her career, but for Philippine tennis.
As a Philippine team member, Eala earned bronze medals in the singles and doubles events in the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022.
The left-handed Eala, who is eyeing deeper Grand Slam runs and Olympic qualification, had three bronze medals in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
A product of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain, Eala won the girls US Open title in New York in 2022.
She reached the second round of the US Open this year.