Alexandra Eala – shattering ceilings and chasing WTA dreams

Not too long ago, few tennis fans would have heard of Alexandra Eala but much has changed now, with every swing of her racket aiming to rewrite history.

At just 20 years old, the Quezon City-born phenomenon has catapulted into the WTA top 50, a milestone that not only caps a whirlwind 2025 season but also cements her as a trailblazer for Filipino athletes on the global stage.

Her journey – from a wildcard entrant scraping into Major tournaments to a ranked force challenging Grand Slam champions – reads like a script from an underdog epic.

Yet, behind the victories lies a young woman grappling with the surreal weight of her ascent, fuelled by family roots, unyielding discipline and a quiet ambition.

Eala’s story begins far from the manicured courts of Wimbledon or the sun-baked hard courts of Miami. Born and raised in the Philippines, she grew up in a household where athletic excellence was not just encouraged but woven into the fabric of daily life.

Her mother, Rizza, a former competitive swimmer who clinched a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke at the 1985 SEA Games and later rose to become the chief financial officer at telecom giant Globe, instilled in Eala a sense of discipline and poise under pressure.

Her father, Mike, has kept a low profile but his brother – Eala’s uncle – is a former high-ranking official in Philippines basketball, according to an interview with Eala on the Olympics website.

“Both my parents have obviously been such a huge part of this journey and I look to both of them for guidance when things get tough,” Eala said.

“But in regard to my mum, I definitely think that her sporting career helped shape her foundation in terms of discipline and work ethic to be able to become very successful in her corporate career.

“And my dad... he’s so well-rounded. I look up to both of them a lot and... it’s just the values that they choose to carry and the values that they’ve instilled in our family.”

This family support proved crucial as Eala traded the familiar bustle of Manila for the disciplined environment of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, at the age of 13.

There, under the tutelage of methods pioneered by the 22-time Grand Slam winner himself, she honed a game blending baseline power with tactical finesse – a style that dismantled far more seasoned opponents.

Eala’s professional breakthrough in 2025 was nothing short of impressive.

She turned heads in March at the Miami Open, where, as a wildcard entrant slotted at No. 140, she orchestrated one of the most audacious runs in recent tennis memory.

Storming through the draw, Eala toppled three Grand Slam champions in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek on the way to the last four, before falling to Jessica Pegula.

This feat marked her not only as the first wild card to defeat three Major title-holders in a single tournament but also as the inaugural Filipina to beat a Grand Slam winner at the tour level.

She also became the first player from her country to reach a tour semi-final. As a result of Miami, she cracked the top 100, a first by a Filipina as well.

Eala went on to debut at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, where she etched her name in the history books by securing the Philippines’ first-ever Grand Slam victory with a first-round triumph over Denmark’s Clara Tauson.

The momentum carried through.

Eala claimed a runner-up finish at the Eastbourne Open on grass, showcasing her adaptability across surfaces, and lifted a WTA Challenger trophy at the Guadalajara Open, her first title at that level.

By the end of the 2025 season, her relentless climb had landed her at No. 50 in the world.

In an Instagram story that captured the raw thrill of her achievement, she exclaimed: “Wow! In the beginning of 2025, I never would’ve thought I’d get year-end top 50! So surreal to see it out officially.”

In her interview on the Olympics website, she added: “This is probably the first year, since Miami, that I would say I’ve done totally everything WTA and I think obviously it takes some time getting used to. I’m very happy nevertheless with how I’ve done.

“I think I have a lot of belief in myself and the thing is, it’s all very new to me, you know.

“There’s always going to be a chance that I win and there’s always going to be a chance that I lose, and it’s about how I compete and whether I show up or not.

“Every match is a tough match when it comes to this level and that’s one of the things my body is getting used to.”

While it is still early in her career, Eala has also become an inadvertent ambassador for tennis in the Philippines and South-east Asia.

“I take so much pride in this, the effect that I’ve noticed that I’ve had on inspiring a spark of tennis in my country, in South-east Asia and hopefully wherever else it has,” she said.

As 2025 fades, Eala’s gaze turns firmly forward, her calendar brimming with opportunities that blend regional pride and international ambition.

December kicks off with the SEA Games in Thailand, from Dec 9 to 20 – where she is aiming for singles gold after settling for bronze at the 2021 edition.

The month ends at the Macau Tennis Masters on Dec 27 and 28, a prestigious team event at the Macao Forum that pits her against a star-studded field that includes the likes of Russia’s world No. 9 Mirra Andreeva.

The new year dawns with her Australian Open debut. In the long term, Eala’s vision burns bright.

“The obvious answer, which has always kind of been my answer, was to win Slams and to be world No. 1. I think those are kind of everybody’s dream and I’m someone who’s quite ambitious,” she said.

“But I think I tried to take it a step at a time especially because I really feel the growth was relatively quick, so I try to take it step by step. My goal in general is to be the best version of myself.”

Eala’s ascent into the WTA top 50 is more than a ranking milestone.

As she navigates the euphoria and pressures of her breakthrough, she gives hope to her nation and inspires a new generation who dares to dream audaciously.

With her family as her anchor, every tennis court as a stepping stone, and the world as her audience, Eala is just warming up for what is to come.