Alex Eala will suffer a rankings drop on Monday after failing to match her run to the Miami Open semi-finals from last season, but opportunity is about to knock for the Filipina player.
The clay court season beckons and while Eala may be disappointed to look at the WTA Rankings on Monday and see a slide of 16 places down to No 45, she has a big chance to climb back up to the top 32 places that secure a seeding in Grand Slam tournaments over the next few weeks.
Clay courts have not been the most productive surface for Eala to thrive on in the formative stages of her career, but she has just 70 ranking points to defend through to the end of the French Open in mid-June.
That gives her a huge opportunity to climb back up the rankings, with her first event on clay set to be the Upper Austria Ladies Linz that gets underway on April 6.
There are 500 ranking points up for grabs in that event and a deep run could fire her back up to towards the top 30.
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Eala will then play at the revamped Madrid Open, that will be played for the first time at Real Madrid’s spectacular Bernabeu Stadium in the Spanish capital.
She has just 35 points to defend from her one victory in Madrid last year and she will then play in Rome, another WTA 1000 event that will offer huge ranking point opportunities.
Even if Eala only won a handful of matches in those tournaments, there is every chance she could be back in the top 32 of the rankings by the start of the French Open at Roland Garros, which would secure her a seeding for the second Grand Slam of the year.
If Eala can pick up five or six wins on clay courts over the next few weeks, that will be enough to fire her back into the top 30, with the top 20 on the agenda if she can have a deep run at any of the WTA 1000 events or, especially, at Roland Garros.
Interest in Eala continues to grow and her appearance on Andy Roddick’s Served podcast drew a big reaction in recent days.
“It was a lesson in self-awareness,” Roddick said after his interview with Eala.
“I’m sitting here at 43 years old, having been in this tennis game for a long time, and I’m going – there’s no way I could ever be that pragmatic, that self-aware, especially in the eye of the popularity storm, and the responsibility that comes with that position.
“She is the trailblazer from her country. I think it’s been a great story. I was fascinated before I talked to her. I’m a bigger fan after having spoken to her. Huge fan.
“Can’t say enough about what she’s doing for the sport and what a gift she is to us.”
Eala has spoken about the privilege she feels to represent the Philippines on the world’s biggest tennis stages, with her engaging interviews adding to her popular appeal.
“I recognise that I’m also blessed to be living my life,” he said. “Of course, I’ve earned it. I’ve definitely earned it. I’ve put in the work. That’s not to be questioned.
“Then again, I think it’s so important to be grateful for what you have. I’ve witnessed poverty in my surroundings. I don’t take for granted anything, especially family and my team and just the opportunities I’m able to have. So that’s why I make it a point to always be grateful.”
The Alex Eala story shows no sign of slowing down and if she can shine on clay courts over the next few weeks, her celebrity status will move to the next level.
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