Alex Eala’s former coach suggests where she could reach in the WTA rankings by the end of the year

Alexandra Eala will win __ WTA titles during her career

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The Filipina then recorded the best Grand Slam result of her career so far at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round, ultimately losing to Jasmine Paolini.

Eala clinched her first WTA Tour-level title at the beginning of the North American hard court swing, having beaten Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka and Jessica Pegula en route to hoisting the trophy at the Washington Open.

Now ranked 20th in the world, a career high, Eala has put her name in the conversation for WTA Finals qualification.

Alex Eala’s former coach reacts after she won her first title

There are just eight spots available at the year-end tournament, held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden this year after two years in Saudi Arabia.

Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva is currently first in the race to the WTA Finals, with the Russian currently holding a tally of 4999 points.

In second is Aryna Sabalenka, followed by Elena Rybakina, Pegula, Karolina Muchova and Elina Svitolina, all of whom have over 4000 points.

The last two spots, as of now, are held by Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova and Coco Gauff.

Eala is 1606 points off Gauff and placed 14th in the race, behind Marta Kostyuk, Victoria Mboko, Sorana Cirstea, Iga Swiatek and Diana Shnaider.

In an interview with The Daily Tribune, Eala’s former coach, Karl Santamaria, was asked if the 21-year-old can reach the WTA Finals.

Santamaria responded: “She still has a lot of potential to even go higher if she does really well here in Cincinnati, and of course, the US Open.

“If she can make it there, her spot will really be cemented, and she can possibly be inside the top 10. It’s within reach that she can get inside the top eight at the end of the year.”

Alex Eala’s first opponent at the Cincinnati Open

After her winning streak came to an end in the fourth round of the Canadian Open, Eala will set her sights on the next WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati.

Seeded 17th at the Cincinnati Open, Eala will receive a bye in the first round and move straight into the round of 64.

There, she will come up against one of Elena-Gabriela Ruse or Magda Linette, both of whom she has faced before.

Eala has a win-loss record of 2-2 against Linette, but lost her one and only match against Ruse.