Alexandra Eala ranking prediction: Where will she be seeded at the Australian Open?
Alex Eala us taking a short break from the game after the disappointment of failing to win a gold medal for her beloved Philippines at the Asian Games, but it won’t be long before she is eyeing up another big rise in the WTA Rankings.
Eala has been one of the breakout stars of the WTA Tour in 2026, with her maiden title on the senior tour in Washington a highlight of a season that also included a win against defending champion Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon.
Moving to the next level will not be easy for the 21-year-old, who is currently ranked at No 18 in the WTA Rankings.
That is an impressive effort for a player who started 2026 at No 50 in the world, but making the next step forward will not be easy.
Eala missed out on the chance to collect ranking points at this week’s WTA 1000 event in Beijing after she decided to play in the Asian Games instead.
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So her next big chance to make a move in the WTA list will be at the Wuhan Open, before she finishes her season with appearances in WTA 500 and 250 tournaments.
If she can pick up four or five wins on the WTA Tour before the end of this season, she should secure her place in the top 20 of the rankings at the end of the year.
Making the next big break into the top 10 will not be easy, as she has a to gather plenty of points to get close to that top 10 breakthrough.
At present, she is 1,634 points behind world No 10 Marta Kostyuk in the live rankings and that would represent a deep run in a WTA 1000 event and two tournament wins in lower ranking events.
A realistic rankings target could be a place inside the top 16 for the Australian Open in January, which would ensure Eala didn’t meet a player ranked in the top eight until at least the last-16.
Tennis legend John McEnroe is among those oozing with praise for Eala, as he has backed her to continue to rise after her breakthrough season.
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“I’ll start by saying the sky’s the limit for her,” said McEnroe, responding to a question from Tennis365 in his role as a Eurosport and HBO Max analyst at the US Open.
“In tennis you need the full package. You need the movement you need, you know, that’s obviously extremely important in tennis with men and the women.
“Is she a great athlete? Yes, but to be that A-plus, that’s where you get found out if you are not at that level.
“Not everyone’s six one or six feet like (Elena) Rybakina or (Aryna) Sabalenka 5’11. Not everyone is as fast as Coco Gauff. That’s the type of thing that would bring Eala to the next level. of thing like bring her, excuse me, bring her to the next level.”
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