Alex Eala climbed to a new career-best ranking in the Women’s Tennis Association ahead of her debut in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, this weekend.
She leapt four notches to No. 191 from her previous career-high placing last month after a bevy of solid tours in Asia.
Eala’s entry to the Top 200 of the elite women’s pro circuit is expected to boost her anticipated campaign with the national team in the quadrennial showpiece.
The 18-year-old Filipina is in China already, warming up in the W250 Guangzhou Open.
Eala worked her way up from the qualifiers with wins against Liang En-shuo of Chinese Taipei, 5-7, 6-1, 7-5, and Elizabeth Mandlik of the United States, 7-5, 7-6(3).
However, Eala bowed to WTA No. 48 Tatjana Maria of Germany, 6-3, 6-0, in the main draw of the $250,000 tourney.
Eala also came off a second-round outing in the W100 Tokyo as part of her Asiad preparations.
The graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain is joining Ruben Gonzales and Francis Casey Alcantara in the Philippine tennis team to the Hangzhou Games.