Eala drops in world rankings after US Open qualifiers setback

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala slightly slid down outside the Top 150 of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings after a tough finale defeat in the qualifiers for the US Open women’s singles last week in New York.

From No. 148 prior to her US Open pro debut, Eala tripped to No. 153 in the latest WTA list Tuesday, though still in good position to climb the ladder the rest of the year.

For the third straight qualifying tournament of a Grand Slam event, Eala reached the finals only to fall one win shy of a coveted main draw slot, where she could have been the first Filipina to ever qualify.

Unseeded and all, the 19-year-old Filipina sensation braved on against more seasoned counterparts before falling prey to No. 20 seed and WTA No. 123 Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania in the final, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6.

But still, the lefty graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain still impressed with big wins against WTA No. 180 Maddison Inglis of Australia and No. 99 Nuria Parrizas Diaz of Spain, also the No. 15 seed, in the first two rounds.

Eala, who won the US Open girls’ singles crown in 2022, achieved the same finale feat in the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.

There, Eala lost to Argentina’s Julie Riera, 6-4, 6(3)-7, 4-6 loss in the Roland Garros and absorbed a 6(3)-7, 5-7 defeat against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun in the Wimbledon.

There’s no giving up for the former World Junior No. 2 Eala, who is determined to scale the heights of the women’s pro circuit in her still blossoming career.