IN JUST a year, Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala has made a remarkable climb in the WTA rankings, moving from outside the top 100 to just shy of the top 30.

The 20-year-old Filipina tennis star reached a career-high No. 31 in the latest WTA rankings released on February 23, following her impressive run to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships, a WTA 1000 event.

Eala’s strong performance in Dubai comes on the heels of her breakthrough last year at the Miami Open, where she reached the semifinals and cracked the top 100 for the first time. With passionate support from Filipino fans at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Eala defeated top competitors, including a surprising victory over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, now ranked No. 7, in the round of 32. She also overcame Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the round of 16, setting up a quarterfinal showdown with former doubles partner and two-time Grand Slam winner Coco Gauff.

Despite a 6-0, 6-2 defeat to Gauff, ranked fourth in the world, Eala’s Middle East tour showcased her rising talent. Her three-week swing included a quarterfinal appearance at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open and a first-round exit at the WTA 1000 Qatar Open.

Reflecting on her Dubai campaign, Eala shared on Instagram:

“Three weeks of fighting with love and pride has come to an end here in Dubai. The competition, the atmosphere, the hospitality, and the full-blown support has made these weeks ones I’ll never forget!”

The Dubai results earned Eala 205 ranking points, propelling her up 16 spots from No. 47 last week and surpassing her previous career-high of No. 40 achieved just two weeks ago. This marks her largest leap in five months, following her 14-spot jump from No. 75 to No. 61 after winning her first WTA 125 title at the Guadalajara Open in September 2025.

Along with her ranking milestone, Eala earned $98,500 (approximately P5.7 million) in prize money.

Next, Eala will head to the United States to compete in the prestigious Indian Wells Open, another WTA 1000 tournament, starting March 4. The event will feature the world’s top players, including No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland, and No. 3 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.