Alexandra “Alex” Eala experienced a slight decline in her world ranking, dropping to No. 47 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) standings as announced on Monday. The 20-year-old tennis prodigy from the Philippines fell seven spots following her impressive rise to a career-high ranking of No. 40 last week, which was attributed to her quarterfinal run at the Abu Dhabi Open.
Eala’s latest ranking comes during her participation in the Dubai Tennis Championships. In her first match of the tournament, she faced American player Hailey Baptiste in the Round of 64. Eala benefited from a walkover victory after Baptiste retired in the second set due to an injury. Looking ahead, Eala is set to challenge a tougher opponent in the next round, facing Italy’s world No. 8, Jasmine Paolini, in the Round of 32.
Eala’s journey this year has been notable; she began the calendar year ranked No. 50, climbed to No. 49, and then reached No. 45 shortly thereafter. Her breakthrough came on February 9 when she entered the top 40 for the first time.
Eala’s progress in the world of tennis reflects her remarkable talent and determination, with fans eager to see how she performs against higher-ranked adversaries in future tournaments. With her skills and resilience, she remains a promising figure in the sport.