Alex Eala now beats every other WTA Tour star after the Canadian Open.
Alex Eala’s rise to stardom has been amazing, and she now holds a record over all her rivals on the WTA Tour, even though she recently exited the Canadian Open.
In 2026, the 21-year-old’s popularity has soared thanks to a series of great performances during the summer. She won the Birmingham Challenger on grass, reached the semi-finals in Berlin, and made it to her first fourth round at Wimbledon.
Then, on August 3, she made history by becoming the first Filipina to win a WTA singles title, beating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the Washington Open final.
Eala almost pulled off back-to-back wins at the Canadian Open, beating Alycia Parks and Caty McNally in the early rounds. Her run ended against Belinda Bencic, but she can be proud of how much she’s grown her reputation and earned £60,676 in prize money in Toronto.
Her rising fame has also helped her land a big sponsorship deal with Nike after the Canadian Open. Thanks to strong showings in many recent tournaments, Eala – currently world No. 20 – has played more matches than anyone else this season.
She’s already competed in 21 tournaments this year and plans to play at the Cincinnati Open, the US Open, and the Singapore Open in September. It’s been a busy year for this young talent, and the fatigue showed during her loss to Bencic.
After losing in straight sets to the Swiss player, Eala said she felt “tired and down” but stayed positive about what’s ahead. “It’s always tough after a loss, but I’m looking back on the past couple of weeks as a really big positive,” she said. “I’ve played well and gotten through a lot. I’m a bit tired now, but I’m healthy, which means a lot to me.”
Unlike many players, Eala hasn’t taken a long break, as she keeps chasing points to improve her ranking. Still, she plans to rest after the Cincinnati Open, which starts on August 13, before going all out for her first Grand Slam at the US Open later this month.