After taking time off due to injury, Alex Eala slides two places in the latest edition of the WTA rankings released on Monday.
Alex Eala will be heading into her final Grand Slam main draw of the year as world no. 70 as she dropped two places in the latest edition of the WTA rankings on Monday, as she spent the last few weeks nursing an injury.
Eala, 20, missed out on the Cincinnati Open as she recovered from a shoulder injury sustained at the National Bank Open, where she lost in the Round of 128.
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The Filipina hitter will be making her debut in the US Open main draw — a full circle moment for the former US Open girls’ singles champion.
It will be Eala’s third taste of action in a Grand Slam main draw after competing earlier this year at the French Open and in the Wimbledon Championships.
In Wimbledon, Eala forced then-defending champion Barbora Krejcikova to a three-set battle in their first round meeting before bowing out, 6-3, 2-6, 1-6.
Despite losing her two grand slam main draw matches so far, Eala has shown promise in competing against the best of women’s tennis. Of note that the US Open will also be a hardcourt tournament, Eala’s specialty, unlike the grass of the All England Club and the clay of Roland Garros.
There will be ground to make up, however, after her latest slip in the rankings.
Eala previously had a career high of no. 56 which came shortly after she reached her first WTA final in Eastbourne where she succumbed to Maya Joint in a grueling three-set final.
With draws yet to be announced for the US Open, Eala will still have to prepare for anything — and anyone — in the stacked US Open field led by defending champion and world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
After the US Open, Eala will be among headliners as the WTA Tour returns to Brazil city Sao Paulo for the first time since 2000 as she competes in the SP Open, a WTA 250 tournament, where she also aims to have a deep run.