Cover Alexandra Eala of the Philippines reacts after defeating Alina Charaeva during day one of the Philippine Women’s Open at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on January 26, 2026 in Manila, Philippines (Photo: Mark Fredesjed Cristino/Getty Images)
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines reacts after defeating Alina Charaeva during day one of the Philippine Women’s Open at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on January 26, 2026 in Manila, Philippines (Photo: Mark Fredesjed Cristino/Getty Images)
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Twenty-year-old tennis star Alexandra Eala extends her record as the highest-ranked Filipina in history, moving four spots up the ladder
The ascent of Alexandra Eala continues. On February 2, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) confirmed the Filipina has climbed four places to occupy the world no. 45 spot, further extending her record as the highest-ranked player from the Philippines.
This milestone follows a demanding January schedule where Eala demonstrated the grit required of the professional tour. Her quarter-final finish at the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open in Manila provided the necessary points to move from her previous best of no. 49. Though she fell in the last eight to the eventual victor, Camila Osorio, the week served as a triumphant homecoming for a player who has spent her formative years navigating the global circuit.
More from Tatler: Tennis star Alexandra Eala takes us through her life, career and dreams
The start of 2026 has been lucrative and physically taxing for the young star. Eala leaves the Australian summer and her home tournament with a healthy record, having reached the semi-finals of the ASB Classic in Auckland before making her maiden main draw appearance at the Australian Open. “The goals for January have been reached,” Eala said in an interview, noting the difficulty of the months ahead as she begins to defend her points. Her game appears more robust; she cited improvements in her serve and a focus on overall fitness as the catalysts for this new tier of success.
See also: Game, set, match: why Alexandra Eala is the future of Filipino tennis
Above Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in action against Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey in the first round during day two of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at Zayed Sports City on February 02, 2026 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Photo: Christopher Pike/Getty Images)
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in action against Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey in the first round during day two of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at Zayed Sports City on February 02, 2026 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Photo: Christopher Pike/Getty Images)
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There is little time for celebration. Eala has already pivoted to the Abu Dhabi Open, a WTA 500 event. On Monday, February 2, she maintained her momentum by defeating Türkiye’s Zeynep Sönmez in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. The victory sets up a Round of 16 clash against world No. 109 Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Beyond the singles draw, Eala is set to partner with Indonesia’s Janice Tjen in a doubles pairing that highlights the rising strength of Southeast Asian tennis. They face a stern test in their opening match against Leylah Fernandez and Kristina Mladenovic.
Eala remains grounded despite the historic nature of her ranking. She describes herself as eager to learn and focused on the incremental gains required to secure a Grand Slam title. At 20, she has already surpassed every domestic predecessor; the question now is how far into the top fifty she can venture before the clay-court season begins.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
