Alex Eala, easily one of the most popolar player in this year’s Women’s Tennis Association tour, has been climbing the rankings for months. At BNP Paribas Open, she kicked the door down.
The 20-year-old Filipina surged to a career-high No. 29 in the latest rankings from the Women’s Tennis Association, officially cracking the Top 30 after another gritty run on the desert hard courts of Indian Wells.
It’s the latest chapter in one of tennis’ fastest-rising trajectories.
Eala entered Indian Wells ranked No. 32, already a remarkable jump from just a year ago. In March 2025, she arrived at the Miami Open ranked No. 140. Two weeks later she left Florida at No. 75 after a stunning semifinal run that included victories over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and former Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko.
The Indian Wells campaign added fresh proof that the surge is no fluke.
Eala battled past Dayana Yastremska in a three-set thriller, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, a match full of lung-busting rallies and fearless shot-making. She then advanced to the Round of 16 after American star and world No. 4 Coco Gauff retired due to injury.
The run ended against world No. 14 Linda Noskova, but the damage—in the rankings, at least—was already done.
Two wins were enough to lift Eala to the highest ranking ever reached by the young Filipina, further cementing her status as Southeast Asia’s brightest tennis prospect.
The reward comes quickly. With her new ranking, Eala enters the upcoming Miami Open as a seeded player and earns a first-round bye.
Not bad for a player who, just a year ago, was still knocking on tennis’ front door.
Now she’s inside—and climbing.
