MANILA — Tennis legend Martina Navratilova believes rising Filipina star Alex Eala has all the tools to become an even greater force on the WTA Tour — but says further improvement on her serve could unlock the next level of her game.
Eala, currently ranked World No. 32, has emerged as one of the most talked-about players on the women’s circuit over the past year. The 20-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough run at the Miami Open in March 2025, stunning top names such as Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Jelena Ostapenko en route to a semifinal finish.
Her momentum continued into the Grand Slam stage. Eala made her main draw debut at the French Open in May 2025 before carving out a historic milestone at the US Open, where she became the first Filipina in the Open Era to win a main draw match in singles.
Most recently, Eala climbed to a career-high No. 31 following a strong quarterfinal showing at the Dubai Tennis Championships. She now heads into the Indian Wells Open as the 31st seed — marking her first time to be seeded at a WTA 1000 tournament.
Speaking ahead of Indian Wells, Navratilova — an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion — praised Eala’s versatility but pinpointed one area that could significantly elevate her game.
“She’s crafty. She’s a good lefty. She uses her variety nicely,” Navratilova said. “Where she can improve the most is her serve — making it more effective. A bigger serve and more kick would really help her. She has the slice down, but she needs to hold her ground and believe in her game.”
Navratilova also noted that Eala’s relatively slight frame can make it more challenging to absorb the pace of heavier hitters, suggesting that added physical strength could complement improvements to her service game.
As one of the 32 seeded players in the women’s singles draw, Eala will receive a first-round bye and begin her campaign in the second round later this week. A deep run could potentially set up a third-round clash against one of the tournament’s top eight seeds.
Following Indian Wells, Eala is set to return to Miami, where she will attempt to defend the ranking points she earned from last year’s semifinal breakthrough — another critical test in what continues to be a defining stretch of her young career.
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