FILIPINO tennis ace Alexandra "Alex" Eala cracked the top 30 of the latest Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, hitting a new career-best No. 29 on Monday.
Eala leaped three places from her No. 32 rank two weeks ago, and elevated three notches higher than her previous best of No. 31 achieved on February 23.
The WTA did not release an official rankings update last week as the 1000-tier BNP Paribas Open was still in full swing.
Eala reached the round of 16 of that tournament, racking up 120 points to bump her total to 1,525 (1,542 in live rankings).
The live rankings reflected a net gain of only 110 points, which indicates Eala had 10 in the same tournament week or day last year that already dropped off and were replaced by her latest result.
Eala sports her new career-high ranking as she makes her return to the Miami Open, where she achieved a historic semifinal finish last year.
The Final Four appearance set Eala's breakout year in motion, and she has continued her tear until today.
Eala is in line for a third clash against world No. 3 Iga Swiatek of Poland at the 1000-tier Miami Open slated from March 17 to 29.
If 31st seed Eala and 2nd seed Swiatek hurdle their round of 64 opponents, they will forge their third match in the round of 32.
Eala and Swiatek first met in the same tournament last year when the Filipino netter was given a wildcard entry.
Ranked 140th at that time, Eala stunned the then world no. 2 Swiatek in the quarterfinals, 6-2, 7-5.
A 6-time Grand Slam champ, Swiatek got back at Eala at the Madrid Open the following month, taking a come-from-behind 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 round of 64 victory.
As seeded entrants, Eala and Swiatek received first-round byes this year.
Eala will face the winner between Laura Siegemund and Petra Marcinko to start her campaign, while Swiatek will battle either Magda Linette or Varvara Gracheva to begin hers.