Alex Eala soars to world No. 55, marches into São Paulo q’finals

MANILA – Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala continued her meteoric rise on the international stage, breaking into the world’s top 55 for the first time in her career after storming into the quarterfinals of the 2025 São Paulo Open in Brazil.

The 20-year-old Eala, now ranked No. 55 in the WTA live rankings, outclassed Argentina’s Julia Riera, 6-1, 6-4, in their Round of 16 clash late Wednesday (Thursday morning in the Philippines).

The former Rafael Nadal Academy scholar eclipsed her previous best ranking of No. 56 earlier this year, further cementing her status as one of the fastest-rising stars in women’s tennis.

Eala took control of the match early, racing to a 4-0 cushion before wrapping up the first set, 6-1. In the second set, she showed composure under pressure, saving two break points in the opening game and holding steady to seal the straight-sets victory.

The win set up a quarterfinal showdown against Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, ranked No. 130, who has been in sizzling form with a 59–11 record this season and a recent upset over seventh seed Leolia Jeanjean.

Eala’s surge comes on the heels of her historic triumph at the Guadalajara 125 Open in Mexico last week, where she became the first Filipina to capture a WTA title after rallying past Hungary’s Panna Udvardy, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.

With momentum on her side and her ranking climbing, Eala’s steady run on the WTA tour is putting Philippine tennis firmly in the global spotlight./PN