Alex Eala is set to climb the WTA Rankings after she earned a battling three-set win in her opening match at the 2026 Italian Open.
In the first round at the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome, world No 42 Eala defeated 45th-ranked Magdalena Frech 6-0, 3-6, 6-4.
Eala is making her second appearance at the Italian Open, and this was her first victory at the prestigious clay-court event after she lost in the opening round on her debut in 2025.
The Filipina star dismantled Frech in the opening set, but her 28-year-old Polish opponent hit back by taking the second set to force a decider.
The 20-year-old was then broken in the first game of the third set, and she found herself trailing 1-3, but she won four of the next five games to turn it around.
Eala‘s win improved her record on clay in 2026 to 3-3, and it set up a second round meeting with 31st seed Wang Xinyu. The winner of that match could face No 2 seed Elena Rybakina in the third round.
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Having started the Italian Open ranked 42nd, Eala’s opening round win at the Foro Italico has earned her 35 points and increased her points total to 1,310.
This has helped Eala climb four places to world No 38 in the Live WTA Rankings.
Eala, who reached her career-high ranking of 29th in March, could climb as high as 35th if she progresses to the third round in Rome.
Ahead of her campaign in Rome, Eala said: “I haven’t played on many of the courts here, being that it’s only my second year.
“So I hope by the end of this tournament, I would have played on a couple more.”
Eala’s win against Frech was her first match since she lost to Elise Mertens in the second round at the Madrid Open last month.
The left-hander had been due to play the Catalonia Open, a WTA 125/Challenger event in La Bisbal d’Emporda which was held last week, but she pulled out on the opening day.
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