Alex Eala rises to career-high world No 15 ranking after 'fairy tale' season ends in Hong Kong

Alex Eala is set for a rankings boost after her run to the final of the Hong Kong Open capped what she described as a “fairy tale" season.

Eala, 21, struggled with a knee injury during her 6-3, 6-0 defeat to Claire Liu on Sunday, as she fell short in her bid to finish off her breakthrough 2026 with another title.

The disappointment did not linger, though, with Eala quickly posting a picture of her with her runner-up trophy, along with the caption: “A fairy tale end to a fairy tale season.”

The Filipina had earlier become emotional when conducting her post-match interview. “I have to thank my team, my parents and my coaches … this season has changed my life, it has changed my life for the better,” said a teary Eala.

Rankings boost and what it means

Despite her final defeat, Eala has enjoyed some improved form in the closing weeks of the season. She reached the last 16 in Ningbo and the last eight in Tokyo before her run to the final in Hong Kong.

That means she will be installed as the new world No 15 when the rankings are released on Monday.

The 103 points she gained in Hong Kong will see her rise two places in the WTA rankings and overtake Sorana Cirstea – who has now retired from tennis – and Naomi Osaka.

It's a career-high ranking for Eala and sees her enter the top 16 for the first time. That is significant for her hopes at the 2027 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of next year. Players seeded 16 and above are guaranteed not to face another top-16 seed until at least the fourth round.

Season to remember

Eala has enjoyed a breakthrough season that has seen her make history for her country and steadily climb the rankings.

In August, she won her first WTA singles title at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, becoming the first player from the Philippines to achieve the feat.

Her run was particularly impressive, defeating Zheng Qinwen, Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka and world No 3 Jessica Pegula in succession. She recovered from a set down to beat Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final.

Show caption: Alex Eala poses with fans at the Abu Dhabi Open at Zayed Spo…

There were other significant achievements, including a WTA 125 title in Birmingham, a semi-final appearance in Auckland and a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, her best Grand Slam performance to date. She also reached the third round of the US Open.

Those achievements have earned Eala a growing army of fans, particularly back in the Philippines.

Last month, she earned praise for putting her country first and dropping out of WTA commitments to compete at the Asian Games, where she won a bronze medal.

She is set to play one more match this year – a homecoming exhibition against Janice Tjen on December 8 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.