Alex Eala on the brink of rankings breakthrough ahead of Wimbledon clash with Iga Swiatek
Alexandra Eala has already pieced together her best run at a Grand Slam tournament after reaching the third round at Wimbledon and now she could take her rise to new heights if she can beat defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Eala’s impressive three-set win against Maya Joint secure he place in the last-32 at the All England Club, as she ended the hopes of the player who beat Serena Williams in her comeback match.
Now she will get a crack at defending champion Swiatek on Centre Court and if she can pick up a win, she will secure a new career-high ranking.
Eala climbed to a ranking of No 29 last March and after some solid form on grass courts that include a WTA 125 title success in Birmingham and an impressive run to the semi-finals of the WTA 500 tournament in Berlin, she is knocking on the door of a new career high ranking.
Victory against Swiatek will put Eala up to No 26 in the live rankings, but the list is fluid right now as plenty of players in that area of the rankings are still competing at Wimbledon.
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Whatever happens at Wimbledon, Eala has done well to recover her ranking after she slipped down the WTA list following the Miami Open in March.
Eala reached the semi-finals of that WTA 1000 tournament in 2025 and when those points dropped off her record, she faced a big drop in the rankings.
Now she is moving forward again and Eala is excited by the prospect of playing against Swiatek, who she beat in that run to the Miami Open semi-finals last year.
“I think it’s going to be tough for me,” said Eala, looking ahead to the clash with Swiatek.
“I’m going to try to make it tough for her, as well. You know, it’s a different surface than we’ve played at before, so I think there should be some different aspects to the last time.
“I mean, she’s won a Slam on grass. She’s won a Slam on clay. Has she won a Slam on hard? I don’t know. She’s won a Slam on hard, so, I mean, you know, I’m expecting a great challenge (smiling). But I think I’m ready for it. I’m ready to face it head on, yeah.”
Eala’s popularity shows no sign of waning and the Filipina is excited to be have so many fans enjoying her story.
“This is my journey. I’m happy to be able to share it with everyone who wants to take part,” she added.
“But I think one of the biggest things that makes it natural and easier to handle is that it’s genuine. So my whole story is very genuine. It’s very close to my heart.
“I’m not trying to be anyone who I’m not. I’m not trying to stray from my values. So I think that makes it easier for me to carry myself, and for me to, you know, handle these situations.
“You know, there’s pressure in everyday life, and even more so as a competitive athlete. I think in that regard, everybody, all of you guys probably, you know, you have had to find your way to work around pressure. So it’s no different with me.”
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