MANILA, Philippines– Filipino tennis player Alex Eala reached a career-high No. 69 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings on Monday, marking a milestone ahead of her debut in the main draw of the French Open.
Eala’s ranking improvement follows her participation in the Italian Open in Rome, where she competed in both singles and doubles.
Although she exited in the Round of 128 after a first-round loss to world No. 27 Marta Kostyuk, her doubles performance alongside American Coco Gauff contributed positively to her points tally.
Earlier this season, Eala had a notable run in the Miami Open, where she defeated three Grand Slam champions — Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Świątek — en route to the semifinals.
She was later defeated by world No. 4 Jessica Pegula, but the performance propelled her into the WTA Top 100 for the first time.
As the first Filipina to reach the WTA Top 100, Eala is now eligible for direct entry into all four Grand Slam tournaments.
Her entry into the Top 70 further cements her status as one of the rising stars in women’s tennis and a trailblazer for Philippine tennis on the global stage.
The 2025 French Open main draw begins on May 25, where Eala is set to make her debut appearance.