Alex Eala of the Philippines climbed five spots to No. 37 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) live rankings after winning her match in the second round at the 1000 Italian Open in Rome Friday evening (Manila time).
Ranked No. 42 entering the tournament, Eala topped No. 33 Wang Xinyu in the second round, 6-4, 6-3, to avenge her semifinal loss to the Chinese player at the ASB Classic in New Zealand last January.
The victory boosted Eala's live ranking with 55 points, raising her total from 1,285 to 1,340, which is good for No. 37. She will continue to rise in the WTA rankings if she wins in the third round on Saturday.
