MANILA — Alexandra Eala absorbed a significant drop in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, falling to No. 45 following an early exit at the Miami Open, as the Filipina netter now turns to the European clay season in a bid to regain lost ground.
Eala, who previously broke into the top 30 for a career-best ranking, saw her standing slip after bowing out in the Round of 16 in Miami, where she suffered a dominant 0-6, 2-6 defeat to Czech standout Karolina Muchova.
Despite reaching the last 16, Eala failed to replicate her breakthrough performance in last year’s tournament, where she advanced to the semifinals. The early exit translated to a sharp drop in ranking points, with the 19-year-old earning only 120 points this year — far below the 390 points she collected in her previous campaign.
The reduced haul pulled her total down to 1,255 points, allowing several rivals to overtake her in the global standings.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka continues to dominate the WTA rankings with 11,025 points, while Elena Rybakina holds firm at No. 2. American star Coco Gauff remains at No. 3, followed by Iga Świątek and Jessica Pegula to complete the top five.
Eala now shifts her focus to the clay court swing in Europe, where she is scheduled to compete in a series of tournaments aimed at rebuilding her ranking. She is set to see action in the Linz Open in Austria from April 6 to 12, followed by the Stuttgart Open in Germany, where she is currently listed as a qualifier.
She is also included in the roster for the Madrid Open, a prestigious WTA 1000 event slated from April 21 to May 3, as she looks to mount a strong comeback on a surface that could offer fresh opportunities to climb back up the rankings./PN
