Eala jumps to WTA rank No. 61 after Guadalajara Open win
ALEXANDRA “ALEX” EALA inched closer to her previous-career best ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) after a breakthrough feat in the WTA125 Guadalajara Open in Mexico over the weekend.
The 20-year-old Filipina pride officially improved to No. 61 as per the updated WTA rankings ahead of her first-round duel in the WTA250 Sao Paulo Open in Brazil.
Ms. Eala, seeded No. 3, is up against qualifier and WTA No. 380 Yasmine Mansouri of France in the opener tentatively set at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
From No. 75, the lefty sensation climbed 14 rungs in the world rankings after winning her and the country’s first WTA in Mexico with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 comeback triumph against Hungary’s Panna Udvardy in the finale.
Her first-ever main draw win the US Open against world No. 15 Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11), also played a factor in her rise after being stuck around the Top 70 rankings for months.
Ms. Eala’s previous high was at No. 56, following a runner-up finish in the Eastbourne Open last June.
With an improved ranking and high seed at No. 3 in Sao Paulo, Ms. Eala is projected to reset that career-best in a continuous WTA Tour rise after playing in all four Grand Slams this season.
After Brazil, Ms. Eala is expected to play more tournaments closer to home in Asia leading to a possible Philippine team return for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand in December.
She won three bronze medals in the 2022 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam but did not see action the next edition in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. — John Bryan Ulanday
