Alexandra Eala soars to new career-high ranking of No. 31 after quarterfinal run in Dubai

Alexandra Eala continues her meteoric rise up the WTA rankings today, soaring from No. 47 to a new career-high of No. 31 following her run to the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event in Dubai, where she took out Jasmine Paolini along the way for the third Top 10 win of her career, before ultimately falling to Coco Gauff.

She shatters her previous career-high of No. 40, which she set just two weeks ago after reaching the quarterfinals in Abu Dhabi.

The 20-year-old is already the only woman from the Philippines ever to reach the Top 100 in WTA rankings history, which dates back to 1975, and now she’s on the cusp of breaking into the Top 30.

Eala has now climbed more than 100 spots in the last year alone.

On this day a year ago she was ranked No. 139, and she went into the 2025 Miami Open at No. 140, but after her breakthrough run to the semifinals of the WTA 1000 event—during which she recorded her first two Top 10 wins against Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek—she soared to No. 75, her aforementioned historic Top 100 debut.

She then broke into the Top 50 last November and the Top 40 two weeks ago, after her run in Abu Dhabi, and now she’s just one spot away from breaking into yet another elite ranking class.

The powerful lefty’s ascent has been powered by a string of deep runs at WTA events, reaching the quarterfinals or better at this level for the first six times in her career over the last 11 months. The first three of those came last year, reaching the semifinals of Miami (WTA 1000), the final of Eastbourne (WTA 250) and the quarterfinals in Sao Paulo (WTA 250), and already three more this year, making the semifinals in Auckland (WTA 250), the quarterfinals in Abu Dhabi (WTA 500) and the quarterfinals in Dubai (WTA 1000).

After her victory over Paolini in Dubai last week, Eala talked about the things she's learned since she burst into prominence in Miami.

“As the Miami anniversary comes up, I would be coming up on one year of full, really full, just, WTA tournaments. I think that comes with a lot of learnings, a lot of maturity. Especially this past year, 2026, has brought me a lot of love and attention from the fans. It comes with its set of struggles and set of sacrifices, but I think in the end I need to remind myself this is what I’ve been working my whole life for. How many people would love to be in my position? I make it a point every day to really give my all and be grateful for what I have.”

She was then asked about her many, many, many fans. “I saw the stadium was really full. I looked up and there were Filipinos for days!" she described. "It’s really such a blessing to be able to play in those sorts of atmospheres. I am really privileged and thankful that I’m able to introduce kind of this new world, or new sporting world, women’s tennis, to a new demographic. I think they’re really enjoying it. I hope that it would inspire people to take up racquets, young girls and women of all ages to take up sports.”

After a week off from competition, Eala will return to action next week at Indian Wells, where she’ll be playing for the first time.