Alex to hit new career-best in WTA

DESPITE abruptly exiting the Philippine Women’s Open in the quarterfinals, the country’s tennis star, Alex Eala, is expected to achieve a new career best.

As of Saturday, Eala is ranked 45th in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) live rankings, which indicates a New Career High (NCH).

In the same list, fellow Southeast Asian Janice Tjen is ranked 47th, meaning that Eala is expected to be the highest-ranked women’s tennis player from the region.

Eala is still ranked 49th in the official WTA standings, as of Friday.

Despite her loss late on Thursday, Eala said she is happy to see the WTA in the Philippines and that the support of the home crowd felt like a “double-edged sword” for a loss.

“It’s so nice to feel the support especially during a loss or during the tough moments of a match. It cushions the blow,” Eala told reporters following her quarterfinal match against Colombian Camila Osorio.

“On one end, it does cushion the blow because you know that they’re there for you and they support. On the other hand, it hurts a little more and it’s a little harder to accept because you want to do the best for them,” she added.

Osorio defeated Eala in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Women’s Open on Thursday, 6-4, 6-4, and as of press time, is set to face Argentina’s Solana Sierra in the semifinal, as this will determine who plays on Saturday’s finals.

Eala, on the other hand, is expected to head to the United Arab Emirates for the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open 2026, which starts on Sunday. She will take part in the competition as a wildcard entrant.

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