Alex Eala makes history as she reaches first WTA final to seal latest rankings breakthrough
Alex Eala made tennis history at the Eastbourne Open on Friday as she became the first Filipina woman to reach the final of a WTA Tour event.
World No 74 Eala battled past fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 to reach the final at the WTA 250 event, cementing her stunning rise in 2025.
Eala raced to a 4-1 lead in the opening set, only to find herself down a break, with Gracheva serving for the set.
However, the Filipina managed to regain her composure and rallied off three straight games to claim the opener, before moving an initial break up in set two.
The 20-year-old proceeded to lose six straight games as she fell away in the second set, though she rallied to come through a topsy-turvy decider and make a slice of tennis history.
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“I’m super, super happy, because it was a tough match,” said Eala in her on-court interview.
“There were really tough moments when she [Gracheva] was playing well and I sometimes didn’t know how to get hold of it, so I’m really happy with winning.
“It was a challenge for both of us, physically and mentally. We both came through qualies, and she’s a really solid player.
“She had some moments where she was really dominating, so the fact I was able to stay there and wait for my opportunity is a big achievement for me today.”
Not only has the Filipina become the first woman from her nation to reach a WTA final, but she has also sealed her latest significant breakthrough in the WTA Rankings.
Already up to a provisional new career-high of world No 64 in the WTA Live Rankings ahead of her semi-final, Eala is now guaranteed a huge rankings breakthrough in Eastbourne.
Her semi-final triumph moves her up 18 places to world No 56 in the WTA Live Rankings, ensuring she will become the first Filipina player to crack the world’s top 60.
Eala could progress as high as world No 52 in the WTA Rankings should she win her first WTA Tour title on Saturday.
The Filipina was already the first player from her country to crack the top 100 of the WTA Rankings, doing so after her run to the last four of the Miami Open.
And it has certainly been a year of firsts for Eala, who made her Grand Slam main draw debut at the French Open last month.
Eala reached her first WTA Tour final on the same day she discovered she would be facing reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova at the All England Club next week.
It will be the 20-year-old’s first main draw appearance at SW19.
