Rising Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala is set to continue her breakthrough 2025 season with her maiden main draw appearance at the Italian Open, marking a significant milestone in her burgeoning career.
The 19-year-old has secured direct entry into the prestigious WTA 1000 event following several withdrawals, eliminating the need for qualification or wildcard entry. This achievement comes on the heels of her impressive performance at the Miami Open earlier this year, which catapulted her into the tennis spotlight.
Eala, currently enjoying a career-high ranking of No. 70, faces a formidable first-round opponent in Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk. The 22-year-old Ukrainian, who recently reached the quarterfinals in Madrid, has climbed to world No. 27 and presents perhaps the most challenging opening match possible for the young Filipino.
Despite the difficult draw, Eala has an opportunity to continue her rankings ascent. With no points to defend in Rome, she's already provisionally risen to world No. 62 in the live rankings before even stepping on court, as several higher-ranked players are set to drop points.
According to Statbet analysis, Eala's clay court adaptation will be crucial against Kostyuk, who has historically performed inconsistently at the Italian Open, reaching the third round just once in four attempts.
Should Eala overcome Kostyuk, her path doesn't get easier. She would face 14th seed Daria Kasatkina in the second round, potentially followed by 24th seed Leylah Fernandez in the third round, and possibly world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth.
The Italian Open represents Eala's third clay-court tournament this spring and her second at WTA Tour-level following her recent Madrid Open campaign. Regardless of her result against Kostyuk, the tournament likely offers Eala another opportunity to climb the WTA rankings and gain valuable experience against elite competition as she continues her promising tennis journey.
