After three years of professional campaign, Alex Eala had finally broken into the Top 200 ranking of the Women’s Tennis Association.
The 18-year-old sensation made a big jump from No. 217 to No. 195 in the latest WTA ranking after conquering the W25 Roehampton women’s singles title and advancing to the final of the W25 Aldershot in the United Kingdom this month.
The W25 Roehampton crown was Eala’s second professional singles title this year after winning the W25 Yecla crown last June.
Eala, however, started the year on a sour note after suffering numerous setbacks.
Starting the year at No. 214, Eala’s ranking dipped to as low as No. 266 last May, no thanks to a string of early exits, the most notable was in the main draw of the 2023 Australian Open last January, which was supposed to be her first Grand Slam event since playing professionally in 2020.
Eala’s chances of making the Australian Open main draw was doomed by a 6-4, 6-7, 3-6 loss to Misaki Doi of Japan in the second qualifying match.
Also in the same month, Eala failed to advance to the main draw of the WTA 250 Thailand Open following a 2-6 2-6 loss to Tatjana Maria of Germany in the Round of 32.
She also fell short of earning a spot in the French Open last May while skipping the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia which could have given her an opportunity to win her first gold medal.
Eala will be skipping the US Open — the final Grand Slam of the year — to see action in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou set from 23 September to 8 October.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be in the US Open this year. My schedule is set on other things. I think I will be going to Asia for a couple of tournaments very soon,” Eala said.
“Of course, China for the Asian Games. Those are going to be my priorities right now.”
Eala, whose mother Rizza was a former national team swimmer, will be one of the medal hopefuls in China alongside pole vaulter EJ Obiena, Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, skateboarder Margielyn Didal and boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial.
The Philippines is aiming to surpass the 4-2-15 gold-silver-bronze medal tally from the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta.
