Filipino tennis star Alex Eala is beginning a stretch of rest and homecoming events at the highest ranking of her career, having moved up to No. 28 when the WTA released its updated official list on Monday, July 13.
The jump lifted the 21-year-old from Quezon City past her earlier best of No. 29, which she first reached in March. Her total now stands at 1,666 points, a net gain of 230 from her Wimbledon showing.
That result at the All England Club carried particular weight. Eala became the first player from the Philippines to advance to the fourth round of Wimbledon singles, a milestone spanning both the amateur and Open eras of the sport. Her run there ended against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, currently ranked No. 15, who closed out the match in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
What made the grass swing notable was the caliber of opponents Eala turned back. She defeated three players ranked inside the world’s top 10 on the surface this season, a group that included a victory over Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, then No. 2 in the world. The left-hander finished the grass stretch with a 12-4 record.
Her position at No. 28 sits just outside the top 25, a tier she is close to entering. Emma Navarro of the United States holds No. 26 at 1,674 points, only eight ahead, while Leylah Fernandez occupies No. 25 with 1,784. Eala is level on points with Anastasia Potapova, the Russian-born Austrian ranked one spot above her, but sits lower because of the WTA’s tiebreak rule, which favors the player with more points earned across the four Grand Slams, the 1000-level events, and the WTA Finals over the previous 52 weeks.
Eala arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, July 12, to a warm welcome, according to Rappler. Her schedule now turns to promotional appearances arranged by her sponsors, among them a fan meet set for the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati on Wednesday, July 15.
Across the year so far, Eala has entered 19 tournaments and compiled a 30-18 win-loss record. Her next competitive phase is expected to open on North American hard courts, with the Mubadala DC Open in Washington later this month lined up as her return to play.
