Alex Eala rises to career-high WTA World ranking No. 51 ahead of Hong Kong Open Singles campaign

Dubai: Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra 'Alex' Eala has risen to a career-best World No. 51 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. The 20-year-old standout moved up two places from her previous mark of No. 53, putting her on the verge of breaking into the elite Top 50 as she wraps up her 2025 campaign at the Hong Kong Open.

The ranking boost comes as a welcome development for the Rafael Nadal Academy graduate, who has weathered a string of tough matches during the recent Asian swing. Eala’s singles run saw her bow out in the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open qualifiers to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima (4-6, 6-3, 2-6), followed by a first-round retirement against Czech player Tereza Valentova at the Japan Open (6-6, 1-2). She later exited in the Round of 32 at the Guangzhou Open, falling to American Claire Liu (6-2, 4-6, 4-6).

In doubles play, Eala teamed up with Ukraine’s Nadiia Kichenok for an impressive semifinal run in Guangzhou, before bowing to the pair of Katarzyna Piter and Janice Tjen,  (6–7, 6–3, 10–5) in a tightly contested match.

Eala now turns her full attention to singles action in Hong Kong, a WTA 250 event that caps off her standout 2025 season. She is set to open her campaign against World No. 79 Katie Boulter of Great Britain.

A strong finish in Hong Kong could propel the Filipina trailblazer into the coveted WTA Top 50, an achievement that would underscore her steady rise and signal an even brighter future for Philippine tennis.