The 2025 SEA Games in Thailand offered another important platform for Southeast Asia’s emerging tennis talent, and once again, Alexandra Eala stood above the field. The 20-year-old Filipina capped a breakthrough season by claiming the women’s singles gold medal, further cementing her status as one of the fastest-rising players on the WTA Tour.

Eala’s triumph at the regional multi-sport event was not merely symbolic. Coming off her first full season of consistent success at the professional level, the SEA Games provided an opportunity to translate her individual momentum into national achievement. She did exactly that, closing an extraordinary 2025 with gold and reaffirming her position as the face of Philippine tennis.

Eala’s Achievements in 2025

The promise Alexandra Eala displayed as a junior has begun to fully materialize on the WTA Tour. Her 2025 season marked a clear turning point, highlighted by a stunning run to the semifinals of the Miami Open. Along the way, she recorded four wins over seeded opponents, announcing herself on one of the sport’s biggest stages. She also secured her first Grand Slam main draws in 2025.

Eala defeated Jelena Ostapenko, top 10 player Madison Keys, Paula Badosa, and world number two Iga Swiatek during her Miami campaign, showcasing both her tactical intelligence and her growing physical resilience. The performance was a statement that her game can trouble the elite on hard courts.

Her momentum continued onto grass, where she reached the final of the Eastbourne International as a qualifier. That run included yet another victory over Ostapenko and marked her first appearance in a WTA final, offering further evidence of her adaptability across surfaces.

At the US Open, Eala collected her maiden Grand Slam main draw victory, upsetting 14th seed Clara Tauson in the opening round. The following week, she added a professional title to her resume by winning the WTA 125 event in Guadalajara, Mexico, defeating Panna Udvardy in the final.

Those results propelled Eala into the WTA top 50 by year’s end, a career high ranking for a player from the Philippines. With continued improvements in week-to-week consistency against tour level opponents, a push toward the top 30 now feels less like a long-term aspiration and more like a realistic next step.

Gold Medal Performance at the 2025 SEA Games

Representing the Philippines at the 2025 SEA Games, Eala carried the weight of expectations with composure. She improved upon a family legacy as well, surpassing the bronze medal her mother, former national swimmer Rizza Maniego-Eala, earned at the 1985 SEA Games.

In the women’s singles final, Eala faced Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew and secured the gold medal in routine fashion, underlining the gap that now exists between her level and much of the regional field. Beyond singles, she also claimed bronze medals in both women’s doubles and mixed doubles, rounding out a productive and demanding tournament.

With six SEA Games medals already to her name, Eala’s focus now turns fully back to the professional circuit. A significant WTA title feels increasingly inevitable as she continues to gain experience and confidence against the tour’s best.

As the 2026 season approaches, Alexandra Eala stands as one of the most compelling players to watch on the WTA Tour — not only for her results, but for what her rise represents for tennis in the Philippines. In January she will play at WTA Auckland, WTA Hobart, the Australian Open, and potentially the WTA 125 event in Manila, Philippines.

Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images