Philippines' Alexandra Eala reacts as she plays against Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2025. Glyn Kirk, AFP/File
Alex Eala leaped to world No. 61 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association rankings after winning her first-ever WTA 125 title.
Coming from a 75th-world placement, it was a 14-spot jump for Eala after winning the Guadalajara 125 Open.
READ: 'Happy and proud': Rafa Nadal hails Alex Eala for WTA 125 breakthrough
Eala, who has a career-high ranking of No. 56, defeated Hungary's Panna Udvardy in comeback fashion, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, to net the historic feat.
Her recent achievement in Mexico did not come unnoticed by Tennis icon Rafael Nadal, who congratulated the Filipina tennis star's breakthrough.
READ: Tennis: Alex Eala outlasts Udvardy to rule Guadalajara 125 Open
"Congrats, Alex Eala, on your first WTA (trophy)," the 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "I am happy and proud of what you are achieving for yourself and for the Philippines."
Eala will be seeing action again on Wednesday at the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil, where she is seeded third, just behind No. 27 Beatriz Haddad Maia (Brazil) and No. 82 Solana Sierra (Argentina).