Trailblazing Eala climbs to No. 18

MANILA, Philippines — Add another glowing entry to Alex Eala’s greatest hits.

Author of many firsts for Philippine tennis, Eala hit No. 18 on the latest WTA rankings – a fresh personal high that’s become the new gold standard among Southeast Asians in the history of the prestigious ladies’ tour.

Eala climbed from 20th the previous week. This also propelled the 21-year-old star to the summit in the all-time list of best-ranked female netters from the region, bumping off Indonesia’s Yayuk Basuki and Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn, who both ranked as high as No. 19.

Basuki was the first to break the Top 20 barrier in October 1997 while Tanusagarn matched her feat in May 2002.

Previously getting the honors as the first Philippine player to reach the fourth round of a grand slam event, beat a slew of Top 10 players, make the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event and win a WTA Tour title, Eala moves in position to aspire for greater heights.

Top 15 next, if not Top 10 outright.

And that’s something to shoot for at the US Open.

The 5-foot-9 lefty, who has impressed long-time fans and new ones as well as elite active and retired players with both her on-court skills and pleasant personality, is up for a busy stint in the season’s final major.

Aside from women’s singles, Eala is lined up for the mixed doubles competition in partnership with Canadian world No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime plus a showdown with pal and fellow young star Iva Jovic at the Stars of the Open, an exhibition event set Aug. 28 ahead of the main draw.

First order of business for Eala at the Big Apple is the opening round of mixed doubles today, where she and Auger-Aliassime, competing as wild card, take on married tennis couple Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina.

The main battle will start Aug. 30 with 2022 US Open girls’ singles champion Eala out to make her mark in the centerpiece event as well.

Eala goes into war carrying momentum from her celebrated fourth-round finish at Wimbledon that she followed up with a breakthrough triumph at the WTA500 Mubadala DC Open in Washington a couple of weeks later.