By Samantha Yu
MANILA – Rising Filipino tennis star Alex Eala continues to make waves on the professional circuit after opening her Italian Open campaign with a dramatic three-set victory that also lifted her in the world rankings.
The 20-year-old secured a 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 win over Poland’s Magdalena Frech in her first-round match on May 6, 2026. The result earned her a four-place jump in the latest WTA standings, moving her up to world No. 38.
Eala’s ranking surge adds further momentum to what has already been a breakthrough season, though her position could still change depending on her next match against China’s Wang Xinyu in the Round of 64. Wang, who is currently ranked No. 31, entered the tournament as a seeded player and received a bye in the opening round.
Following her victory, Eala credited her steady improvement and consistent training with her team.
“I think I’ve come a long way from last year. It really means a lot because my team and I have been working hard over the past few weeks, and we’ve been able to put into practice what we’ve been working on,” she said.
Eala has already achieved a career-best ranking of No. 29 earlier in March 2026, becoming the highest-ranked Filipino tennis player in WTA history.
Her performance against Frech showcased both dominance and resilience. She stormed through the first set without dropping a game, stumbled in the second, then regrouped in the third set to close out the match against the world No. 45-ranked opponent.
Looking ahead, Eala expressed her desire to push further into the tournament and improve her Grand Slam results, where she has yet to advance beyond the second round.
“My goal is to do well, hopefully pass a couple of rounds… Everybody wants to win, so I just want to go and give my best,” she said.
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