Alex Eala is a professional tennis player from the Philippines with a career-high singles ranking of No. 134, which she achieved on January 27, 2025.
She is the highest-ranked Filipino female singles player in WTA Tour history, surpassing Maricris Gentz who peaked at No. 284 in 1999. Eala has made history as the first Filipino player to win a junior Grand Slam singles title, claiming victory at the 2022 US Open.
| Height / weight | 1.75 m / |
| Born | 23 May 2005 |
| Nationality |
Philippines
|
| Playing Style | Left Handed |
Player Profile and Early Life
Alexandra Maniego Eala was born on May 23, 2005, in Quezon City, Philippines. She comes from a family with a strong sporting background. Her mother, Rosemarie “Rizza” Maniego-Eala, is a former Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist in swimming.
Eala is also the niece of Philippine Sports Commission chairperson and former Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Noli Eala.
Standing at 175 cm tall, Eala is a left-handed player with a two-handed backhand.
She has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Spain since the age of 12, which has significantly contributed to her development as a player.
Junior Career
Eala’s tennis journey began with impressive results in junior competitions.
At just 12 years old, she won the 2018 Les Petit As 14-and-under tournament. Her success in junior Grand Slams was notable, with doubles titles at the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 French Open.
The pinnacle of her junior career came in 2022 when she won the US Open girls’ singles title, making history as the first Filipino to achieve this feat.
Professional Career
Eala turned professional on March 4, 2020, making her debut on the ITF Women’s Circuit.
Her progress was steady, winning her first ITF title in January 2021 at a $15k event in Manacor, Spain. This victory propelled her into the top 1,000 of the WTA rankings.
In August 2021, Eala made her WTA Tour main-draw debut at the Winners Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, where she won her first match against Paula Ormaechea.
Her WTA 1000 debut came at the 2022 Miami Open.
Eala’s career took significant strides between 2023 and 2025. She made her Grand Slam qualifying debut at the 2023 Australian Open and entered the top 200 later that year.
In 2024, she achieved notable results in WTA 1000 events, including her first win at that level at the Madrid Open.
The 2025 Miami Open marked a turning point in Eala’s career. She received a main draw wildcard and capitalized on the opportunity, reaching the fourth round.
Her run included a stunning victory over world No. 5 Madison Keys, marking her first top-10 and top-5 win. This achievement made Eala the first Filipino player in the Open Era to defeat a top-10 player.
Eala’s impressive performance continued as she advanced to her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal after receiving a walkover from Paula Badosa.
This remarkable run propelled her to a new career-high ranking of world No. 102 on March 31, 2025.
Career Record
Singles
- Career Titles: 5 ITF
- Career Record: 164–98
- Highest Singles Ranking: 134 (January 27, 2025)
- Current Singles Ranking: 140 (March 17, 2025)
Best Grand Slam Singles Performances
- Australian Open: Q1 (2023, 2024, 2025)
- French Open: Q3 (2024)
- Wimbledon: Q3 (2024)
- US Open: Q3 (2024)
Doubles
- Career Titles: 3 ITF
- Career Record: 39–33
- Highest Doubles Ranking: 192 (August 12, 2024)
- Current Doubles Ranking: 339 (March 17, 2025)
