Alex Eala enters final Asian swing with eyes on top 50 breakthrough

Alex Eala’s 2025 season has been one of steady growth rather than sudden explosion — and now, with the finish line in sight, the 20-year-old Filipina finds herself on the verge of a major career milestone.

Starting the year ranked No. 148, Eala has quietly climbed into the top 60 of the WTA rankings — sitting at No. 54 heading into the final three weeks of the tour. The rise, built on consistency and deeper runs across multiple WTA events, has positioned her within striking distance of a coveted top-50 spot as she embarks on a demanding Asian swing.

Eala’s climb was fueled by a string of strong results: a semifinal finish at the WTA 125 Jingshan Open, a quarterfinal showing in Suzhou, and valuable experience at the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open, where she narrowly missed the main draw. 

The brief pause after Wuhan has given her a rare chance to reset before launching into what could be the most pivotal stretch of her season.

Her campaign resumes this week at the Japan Women’s Open in Osaka, where she opens against a qualifier. Looming ahead, however, could be a challenging second-round duel against either world No. 21 Elise Mertens, a seasoned doubles world No. 1, or Cristina Bucsa, the Spaniard who ousted Eala from this year’s US Open.

The Osaka field features a star-studded mix of veterans and rising names — including Naomi Osaka, who returns to home soil as a two-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1; Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open finalist; and Maria Sakkari, a Grand Slam semifinalist once ranked as high as world No. 3. For Eala, who turned 20 in May, the tournament offers another chance to test her composure and adaptability against the sport’s elite.

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THE JAPAN OPEN DRAW

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala is set to begin her Japan Open main draw facing a qualifier in the Round of 32.

The qualifier opponent has yet to be named, with main draw action officially kicking off today, October 13.

WTA Site pic.twitter.com/MPkChntKjG

— Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) October 13, 2025

From Japan, Eala will move to the Guangzhou Open (October 20–26), where she enters as the fifth seed in a field led by German veteran Tatjana Maria. The two have a storied past — Maria holds a 4–0 record over the Filipina, each victory coming in straight sets. Yet the matchup also represents an opportunity for Eala to measure how far she’s come against one of the tour’s most experienced tacticians.

Maria, 37, remains one of the WTA’s most remarkable figures — the second-oldest champion in history after Serena Williams, having won the Queen’s Club Championships in June over world No. 4 Amanda Anisimova. Eala, meanwhile, has been proving that her mix of youthful athleticism and mental resolve can close that gap against veterans who thrive on experience.

The year will culminate at the Hong Kong Open (October 27–November 2) — the final stop of Eala’s 2025 campaign and perhaps her biggest test yet. The draw reads like a WTA 1000 lineup, featuring Osaka, Fernandez, Bucsa, and Sakkari, alongside two former Grand Slam champions — Emma Raducanu (2021 US Open) and Sofia Kenin (2020 Australian Open).

Also expected in the field are fast-rising teenagers such as Victoria Mboko, this year’s Canadian Open champion; Maya Jovic, who defeated Eala in the Eastbourne Open final; and Eala’s former doubles partner Eva Lys, now ranked a career-high No. 45.

For Eala, the Asian swing isn’t just about ranking points or prize money. It’s a litmus test for the player she’s becoming — one who can navigate long travel stretches, adapt to varying surfaces, and hold her own against names that once seemed out of reach.

If she can close the season with a deep run, Alex Eala won’t just end 2025 among the top 50 — she’ll enter 2026 as a legitimate contender ready to make her mark on the biggest stages of women’s tennis.

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