Filipina tennis star Alex Eala has jumped to No. 33 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, putting her within striking distance of securing seeded spots in upcoming Grand Slam and WTA 1000 events.
The 19-year-old moved up four positions from No. 37 after capturing the Birmingham Open title in the United Kingdom. The victory marks her second WTA 125 trophy of the season.
Eala collected 125 ranking points throughout her undefeated run, which she capped off with a hard-fought 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 triumph over her doubles partner, Nikola Bartunkova, in the final.
This is not Eala’s first time flirting with the upper echelon of the sport. She previously achieved a career-high ranking of No. 29 in March after advancing to the round of 16 at Indian Wells. While she briefly slid to No. 45 after failing to defend points from a previous Miami run, her steady and consistent performances on the tour have fueled her latest rebound.
Her ascent to No. 33 leaves her just one spot shy of the coveted top-32 cutoff, a threshold that grants players seeded status and more favorable matchups in the opening rounds of major tournaments.
The achievement also highlights her growing comfort on grass courts, building on her runner-up finish at Eastbourne last season.
Eala is scheduled to keep her momentum going at the Queen’s Club Championships in London. She will face Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai in the round of 32, eye adjourned on breaking back into the world’s top 30.