2025 has been a landmark year for WTA rising star Alex Eala, with the 20-year-old soaring up the WTA Rankings – and making plenty of history in the process.
A stunning breakout run at the Miami Open saw her beat three Grand Slam champions — including Iga Swiatek — and break into the world’s top 100, becoming the first woman from the Philippines to crack that milestone in the WTA Rankings.
However, Eala hasn’t stopped there, reaching her first WTA Tour final in Eastbourne, making her French Open and Wimbledon debuts, and becoming the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam singles match on her US Open debut earlier this year.
Now, the 20-year-old looks primed for her latest WTA Rankings milestone amid her campaign at the Suzhou Open — and things could still get better for Eala at the WTA 125 event.
WTA Rankings dream
Eala reached her career-high ranking of world No 56 after her run to the Eastbourne Open final in June, though dropped back outside of the top 70 following a difficult summer.
However, a resurgent Eala is now back inside the top 60 of the WTA Rankings, following her US Open round-one victory, her run to the WTA 125 title in Guadalajara, a quarter-final showing at the Sao Paulo Open, and her semi-final run at WTA 125 Jingshan Tennis Open.
The Filipina is currently at world No 58 in the official WTA Rankings, just two places shy of her career-high achieved three months ago.
However, Eala is now set to break new ground thanks to her run in Suzhou, her second straight WTA 125 campaign in China after action in Jingshan last week.