Alex Eala soars to new career-high No. 51, aims strong start against Katie Boulter in Hong Kong Open

Alex Eala’s  2025 season is nearing its final chapter — and the young Filipina tennis star is looking to close it in style. The 20-year-old will headline the Philippine campaign at the Hong Kong Tennis Open, which kicks off Monday, marking her final WTA tournament of the year.

Fresh off achieving a career-high ranking of World No. 51, Eala enters the WTA 250 event with renewed determination following a season that elevated her status among the sport’s brightest young players. 

Her steady ascent has come despite recent hurdles, including a string of early exits in Asia, but her breakthrough year has already secured her place in Philippine tennis history.

In a season filled with milestones, Eala cracked the WTA Top 100, became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main-draw match at the US Open, and captured her maiden WTA 125 title in Guadalajara just weeks later.

Along the way, she earned wins over former Grand Slam champions — proof of her growing confidence and maturity on tour.

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Her most recent outing came at the Guangzhou Open, where she bowed out in the singles first round to American Claire Liu, 2-6, 6-4, 4-6. 

But Eala still made waves in doubles, teaming up with Ukrainian Nadiia Kichenok to reach the semifinals before narrowly losing to Katarzyna Piter and Janice Tjen, 7-6(4), 3-6, 5-10.

In Hong Kong, Eala will once again take on both fronts — singles and doubles — this time partnering with veteran Hao-Ching Chan of Chinese Taipei. The pairing will be one to watch as Eala seeks a strong finish before wrapping up her most successful season yet.

Her first singles test will come against Katie Boulter of Great Britain, ranked World No. 79 after peaking at No. 23 last year. Boulter, a three-time WTA titlist, reached the third round of both Wimbledon and the US Open, setting the stage for a compelling opener between two fearless hitters eager to reclaim momentum.

The Hong Kong Open also boasts a powerful lineup led by World No. 11 Belinda Bencic, Canadians Victoria Mboko (No. 1) and Leylah Fernandez (No. 22), Sofia Kenin (No. 28) of the U.S., and Maya Joint (No. 32) of Australia.

For Eala, though, the focus is personal — to finish strong and set the tone for what’s next. After a season that saw her achieve historic firsts and shatter national records, the young Filipina has proven she belongs among the world’s elite.

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