“I’m still hungry and I want to finish strong”: Alexandra Eala reflects on breakout 2025 season and eyes even bigger 2026

Alexandra Eala isn’t satisfied — not even after the best season of her young career. The 20-year-old Filipina, now ranked No. 53 in the world, has turned 2025 into a statement year, breaking personal and national records while proving she belongs among the sport’s rising stars. But as Eala herself admits, the results only made her “hungrier,” as she looks to finish the season strong and set the foundation for an even greater 2026.

“Basically, this far in general is great and it just leaves me hungrier, and these great results and great experiences that I've had have given me so much motivation,” Eala said. “I am looking to finish the year strong. I think this time of the year is typically one where a lot of players can feel the fatigue of the whole year behind. But you know, I'm trying to manage it and I'm doing my best, because obviously I'm still hungry and I still want to finish off on a high note.”

Born in 2005, Eala began the year ranked No. 140 and made a dramatic rise to the top 60, closing October inside the top 53 — the highest position ever reached by a Filipina player in WTA history. Her run to the Miami Open semifinals was one of the biggest stories of the season: after receiving a wildcard, she defeated Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and world No. 1 Iga Świątek before falling to Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.

That performance cemented her reputation as a fearless competitor, but it was only the start. She later reached her first WTA final at the Eastbourne Open, where she held match points against Maya Joint before narrowly missing her first title. Eala also celebrated her first Grand Slam main-draw win at the US Open and captured the WTA 125 Guadalajara title in September — achievements that confirmed her steady climb.

“This is probably the first year, since Miami, that I would say I've done totally everything WTA and I think obviously it takes some time getting used to,” Eala explained in an interview with Olympics.com. “I'm very happy nevertheless with how I've done, I’m very happy with the work and the guidance that my team have given me. I think that's also a huge part of why I've been able to succeed this year.”

With more travel, higher competition, and tighter schedules, 2025 tested her physically and mentally. Yet she’s embraced the challenge with discipline and perspective. “Because in the end, every match is a tough match when it comes to this level, and I think that's one of the things that my body is getting used to. So I would say in the day-to-day is just having to push a little bit harder and getting used to that day in, day out level. The general level of everything was pushed a bit higher.”

Despite her rapid progress, Eala remains focused on process over pressure. “I think I have a lot of belief in myself and the thing is, it's all very new to me you know,” she said. “There's always going to be a chance that I win and there's always going to be a chance that I lose, and it's about how I compete and whether I show up or not," Eala noted. “At the same time my team has 2026 in mind so I try to stay in the present and the job of my team is to plan moving forward.”

As she looks ahead, the 20-year-old star isn’t shy about her long-term ambitions. “The obvious answer, which has always kind of been my answer, was to win Slams and to be world No. 1. I think those are kind of everybody's dream and I'm someone who's quite ambitious,” she said. “But I think I try to take it a step at a time especially because I really feel the growth was relatively quick, so I try to take it step by step and not think about kind of a career goal.”

Her influence now stretches beyond the court. “My goal in general, if we're talking about the big picture, is to be the best version of myself and I cannot personally put a number on that right now,” she said. “I take so much pride in the effect that I've noticed that I've had on inspiring a spark of tennis in my country, in Southeast Asia and hopefully wherever else it has.”

And while 2025 has been her breakthrough, Eala insists the story is still being written. “That’s not to say that 2026 is going to be my peak,” she smiled. “Because this is the best I can be now, but maybe I can be even better in the future. So maybe 2026, I'll be the best Alex I can be then, but maybe 2027 will be even better. You never know.”