Eala on the rise By

MANILA, Philippines — After closing out 2021 at No. 10, 16-year-old ace Alex Eala climbed two notches in the first International Tennis Federation (ITF) world junior rankings released this year.

Eala has 1,481 points so far spiked by two late tournaments last month in her return from a long hiatus due to a foot injury.

Her extended absence almost dragged her outside the top 10 after being idle inside the top three for months due to consistent showing in different world tours and major tournaments like the Wimbledon and the US Open.