Alexandra Eala has reached another major milestone in her rapidly developing career, breaking into the world’s top 40 for the first time following a strong start to the 2026 season.
The 20-year-old Filipino became the first woman from the Philippines to enter the WTA Top 40 after climbing to a career-high No. 40 in the latest rankings. Her rise was driven by a quarterfinal appearance at the Abu Dhabi WTA 500, her best result so far at that level, which lifted her up from No. 45.
Eala has continued to build on the progress she made over the past two seasons. After becoming the first Filipina to reach the Top 100 and Top 50 in 2023, she has now taken another step forward with a series of consistent performances on tour.
The Abu Dhabi run marked her fifth WTA quarterfinal or better in the past 11 months. In 2025, she reached the semifinals in Miami, finished runner-up in Eastbourne, and made the quarterfinals in Sao Paulo. She has carried that momentum into 2026, highlighted by a semifinal appearance in Auckland earlier this season.
Her steady rise reflects growing confidence and adaptability at the highest level, as she continues to establish herself among the tour’s regular contenders.
Eala was not the only player to benefit from recent tournaments, with several young and returning players recording significant ranking improvements.
Source: WTA Tour
Czech teenager Sara Bejlek made one of the biggest jumps after winning her first WTA title in Abu Dhabi. The 20-year-old surged from No. 101 to No. 38, entering the Top 40 for the first time. American Hailey Baptiste also reached the Top 40 following her first WTA semifinal at the same event, climbing from No. 56 to No. 39.
In Cluj-Napoca, Emma Raducanu reached her first WTA final since winning the US Open in 2021. The result lifted her from No. 30 to No. 25, her highest ranking in more than three years. Romania’s Sorana Cirstea captured her fourth career title and her first at home, moving up from No. 36 to No. 31.
Ukrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova also achieved a career-high ranking after reaching the semifinals in Cluj-Napoca. She rose from No. 91 to No. 71 in only her second WTA main-draw appearance.
There were notable movements on the men’s tour as well following the ATP event in Montpellier. Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime won his ninth career title and climbed from No. 8 to No. 6. France’s Adrian Mannarino reached his first final since 2023 and moved up from No. 70 to No. 52.
With several players making strong early-season statements, the latest rankings reflect a shifting landscape in both the WTA and ATP tours. For Eala, her entry into the Top 40 marks another important step as she looks to build on her momentum throughout 2026.
