Her-story official: Alex Eala 65-spot ranking rise marks biggest leap in WTA top 100

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Alex Eala is officially ranked No. 75 in the latest WTA rankings after an unprecedented giant-killer run in the Miami Open

MANILA, Philippines – To say that Alex Eala had a great run in the 2025 Miami Open would be a gross oversimplification of the stunning turn of events that transpired over the past week.

Thankfully for rabid tennis fans and casual observers alike, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has a no-frills ranking system to quantify the 19-year-old sensation’s Cinderella run, as it made her jump from world No. 140 to No. 75 official on Monday, March 31.

With her inclusion in the top 100, Eala is now guaranteed a spot in the main draw of at least the 2025 French Open starting May 25 — a huge career assist for the Filipina youngster who has had a history of being knocked out in the qualifiers of major tournaments like the US Open and Wimbledon.

To put in perspective just how much Eala shocked the world in the last few days, her massive jump 65 spots up the world rankings is the largest leap of any tennis pro as far back as the top 300.

Only unheralded Ana Sofia Sanchez of Mexico had a bigger recent jump of 80 spots from world No. 374 to No. 294. Ranking jumps at this level, however, are no longer comparable to the upper echelons of the tennis world, where double-digit leaps are far less common.

Within the top 100, Romanian ace Anca Todoni was a far second to Eala in terms of recent success with a 17-point jump, from world No. 100 to No. 83.

The 65-point launch, as the world now knows, was a direct result of Eala’s unprecedented winning streak over a trio of Grand Slam champions, namely world No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, No. 5 Madison Keys, and most notably, No. 2 Iga Swiatek, all of whom retained their respective ranks in the latest update.

Eventual Miami Open champion Aryna Sabalenka also keeps a firm hold on the No. 1 spot, while tournament runner-up and Eala’s semifinals slayer Jessica Pegula also stays solid at No. 4.

As she herself alluded to, the real work starts now for Eala, already one of the greatest figures in Philippine tennis before the end of her teenage years.

The wins need to keep coming, as falling down is always easier than climbing back up. – Rappler.com