Alex Eala Reaches No. 15 in the WTA Live Rankings
Alex Eala is the world No. 15 in the WTA live rankings. She beat Maria Sakkari 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in the Hong Kong Open semifinals on Saturday evening. The win was worth 103 points and took her total to 2,392. Sorana Cirstea, who held the spot, has 2,386.
Eala is the No. 2 seed in Hong Kong. Sakkari, ranked No. 30, took her to three sets.
Two jumps in one week
The official list still has Eala at No. 17. That is her career high, set on the November 2 rankings with 2,289 points, up from No. 19. The live number moves past it on Monday, when the WTA publishes its next list.
Friday night’s quarterfinal did part of the work. Eala beat Antonia Ruzic, ranked No. 81, 7-6(7), 7-5. That moved her to No. 16 in the live rankings, ahead of Naomi Osaka (2,315).
The weeks before Hong Kong
The run came after a stretch of losses. Eala took bronze at the Asian Games, a result some fans read as a miss. She went out early in Wuhan and Singapore. At Ningbo she reached the round of 16 and lost to Diana Shnaider.
Some people questioned her form. Asked about being tired, Eala pointed to the list instead: “if I am tired and I am 17 in the world, that’s great.”
She kept entering tournaments. Hong Kong was the last stop of her Asian swing.
One match left
Eala plays Claire Liu, ranked No. 102, in the final on Sunday. A title would raise her total to 2,479 points. It would not change her ranking, because No. 15 is as high as she can go this week.
Whatever happens, she finishes 2026 at No. 15. She ended 2025 at No. 50, a climb of 35 places.
The year includes two titles: the Birmingham Open (WTA 125) in June and her first main tour title at the Washington WTA 500. Her August rise to No. 18 made her the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player in WTA history. That record now sits at No. 15 in the live rankings, with the official list due Monday.
