ROME – Alex Eala’s steady rise in women’s professional tennis continued this week after she opened her Italian Open campaign with a comeback win that earned her a boost in the WTA rankings.
The Filipina tennis player defeated Poland’s Magdalena Frech, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4, in a competitive first-round match on May 6, 2026. The result pushed her up four places to world No. 38 in the latest rankings update.
Her progression in the standings highlights her growing consistency on the tour, although her position remains subject to change depending on her Round of 64 clash with China’s Wang Xinyu. Wang, ranked No. 31, is one of the seeded players in the tournament and did not compete in the opening round due to a bye.
Eala, 20, spoke about her development and the work she has put in leading up to the tournament.
“I think I’ve come a long way from last year. It really means a lot because my team and I have been working hard over the past few weeks, and we’ve been able to put into practice what we’ve been working on,” she said during a post-match press conference.
Earlier in the season, Eala reached a career-high ranking of No. 29, marking her as the highest-ranked Filipino player in WTA history.
Her performance against Frech demonstrated both dominance and resilience. She overwhelmed her opponent in the opening set, lost momentum in the second, but recovered in the decider to close out a strong win against the world No. 45.
Despite her rapid rise, Eala remains focused on longer-term goals, particularly improving her Grand Slam record, where she has yet to reach the third round.
“My goal is to do well, hopefully pass a couple of rounds… I just want to go and give my best,” she said, emphasizing her determination to keep improving on the biggest stages.
ia/xf
