Filipina tennis star Alex Eala reached another milestone in her professional career as she soared to No. 17 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings on November 2, 2026.
Photo: Alex Eala/Instagram
This leap has solidified Eala’s status as the highest-ranked Filipino and Southeast Asian tennis player in WTA history, surpassing her previous career-high of No. 18, which she first achieved in August 2026.
Eala initially slipped from No. 18 to No. 20 before briefly sitting at No. 19, following early exits at the Singapore Open, Wuhan Open, and Ningbo Open.
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The 21-year-old tennis star bounced back and even surpassed her previous record after earning crucial points at the recently concluded WTA 500 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan, where she beat Mika Stojsavljevic and Talia Gibson in the opening rounds.
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Despite losing the quarterfinal match to eventual winner Diana Shnaider of Russia, Eala still climbed the rankings after earning a substantial 108 ranking points in the tournament, bringing her total to 2,289 points and securing the 17th spot in the world rankings.
The 2026 Mubadala DC Open champion is now just one spot behind Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who is currently No. 16 with 2,315 points.
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With this new career achievement, Eala hopes to carry the momentum as she sets her sights on the WTA 250 Hong Kong Open, where she will play American player Alycia Parks in the Round of 32 on November 3, 2026.
ALSO READ: Alex Eala Is Now Southeast Asia’s Highest Ranked Female Tennis Player
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