Alex Eala climbs to No. 45 in WTA rankings

There is no stopping Pinay tennis ace Alex Eala as she climbed to No. 45 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, setting a new career best and a record in Philippine tennis history.

The 20-year-old athlete jumped four spots from the previous No. 49 ranking following her stint in the inaugural Philippine Women's Open, where she finished in the quarterfinals.

Eala has been busy since last year with tournaments, including her impressive performances at the US Open, Guadalajara 125 Open, Jingshan Open, and the historic gold medal at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.

Looking back at her stint, Eala shared how she's improved as an athlete.

"Everything in general has improved a little bit, and it all adds up to a more well-rounded game. I think my serves definitely improved...fitness-wise [is] something I'm looking to improve even more," she said in an interview with sports journalist Dyan Castillejo.

She added that she approaches her goal month by month, with a major objective of winning a grand slam.

"For the next six months, it's hard to say, but to you know, just to inch by inch keep improving in the rankings as much as I can. Of course, it's different when I have to defend points," she said.

Although Eala has garnered more fans both locally and abroad with every match, she makes sure not to let it get to her head.

"I'm just so grateful, but I just try to focus on my tennis. I'm still new on tour, I have so much to learn, and I'm so eager to learn. There are a lot of things for me to focus on as well," she said.

She achieved the highest ranking ever by a Filipino tennis player, becoming the first to break into the Top 50.

Eala is back on court later tonight at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, where she's set to face Turkey’s Zeynep Sönmez in the opening round of the WTA 500 tournament.