It has been a season to remember for Alexandra Eala.
Eala, 20, first made a name for herself at the Miami Open in March, stunning Madison Keys, Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek on her way to the semi-finals.
In August, the Filipino star became the first player from her nation to win a Grand Slam match after defeating Clara Tauson in the US Open first round.
A couple of weeks later, Eala won her first WTA title at the Guadalajara Open and was congratulated afterwards by Rafael Nadal.
Eala has ended the WTA Tour season ranked 50 in the world – she is the first Filipino player to ever crack the WTA top 50.
Now, the WTA Tour season has concluded, the Tour has announced its nominees for 2025 newcomer of the year.
Alexandra Eala has been nominated for WTA Newcomer of the Year
Alexandra Eala’s stellar 2025 season has earned her a spot among the best and brightest young talents the WTA Tour has to offer.
Eala has been nominated alongside Victoria Mboko, Maya Joint, Iva Jovic, Lois Boisson and Eva Lys.
Mboko is probably the strongest candidate to win the award after defeating four Grand Slam champions on her way to the Canadian Open title in August.
Mboko also won her second WTA Tour event in the penultimate week of the season: at the Hong Kong Open.
Maya Joint has also impressed this year, winning two Tour titles in Rabat, Morocco, and in Nottingham, England.
Iva Jovic, 17, also won her first WTA Tour title this year, at the WTA 500 event in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Lois Boisson did so too, in Hamburg. However, she is perhaps better recognised for her stunning run to the French Open semi-finals while ranked 361 in the world.
Young German star Eva Lys has also enjoyed an impressive year on the Tour, securing a place in the top 40 for the first time in her career.
Will Eala break into the top 30 in 2026?
Alexandra Eala will be aiming for a top 30 spot next year, as being within the top 30 will greatly increase her chances of performing well at Grand Slam events.
This is because the top 32-ranked players are seeded for Grand Slam events.
Therefore, if Eala can become a top 32-ranked player in the near future, she will face unseeded opposition at Grand Slams until the third round.
The Filipino star is certainly capable of doing so. However, she will need to improve her serve, which is a clear weakness at this time.
