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Eala reaches career-high WTA rankings in singles, doubles

Sports

Eala reaches career-high WTA rankings in singles, doubles

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

At A Glance

Alex Eala soared to greater heights this week after reaching career-high rankings in the singles and doubles of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).

Alex Eala soared to greater heights this week after reaching career-high rankings in the singles and doubles of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

The 18-year-old Filipina tennis sensation jumped three notches from No. 187 last week in the singles rankings, big thanks to her quarterfinal finish in the W50 Pune International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in India over the weekend.

alex eala 11 — Alex Eala improves her WTA rankings in singles and doubles. (File Photo)

Coincidentally, Eala also propelled to a career-high doubles ranking at No. 302 after capturing the doubles title in the same tournament with Latvian partner Darja Semenistaja -- her first doubles title in the pros after winning four singles crowns including two last year.

She ended 2023 with a doubles ranking at No. 436.

Eala continues her quest for glory when she competes in the W50 Indore also in India this week.

Seeded third in the $50,000 event, she is playing Zhibek Kulambayeva of Kazakhstan in the opening round at press time.

After Indore, Eala is set to see action in the start-studded Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open slated Feb. 5 to 11 at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City in United Arab Emirates.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 500 event is an acid test for the 18-year-old Eala, who earned a wildcard berth along with notable players like former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu.

The tournament lures some of the best players that include world No. 6 Ons Jabeur, 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina, world No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko, world No. 11 Beatriz Haddad Maia.

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