By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense tennis star Alexandra Eala slipped in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings released on Monday, March 30, dropping to No. 45 after previously reaching a career-high position inside the Top 30.

The decline followed her campaign in the Miami Open, where she exited in the Round of 16.

Eala was defeated by Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova in straight sets, 0-6, 2-6.

Despite reaching the last 16 of the competition, the 20-year-old Eala’s performance yielded fewer ranking points compared to her breakthrough showing in the same event last year.

She earned 120 points this time around — well below the 390 points she collected during her semifinal finish in 2025 — resulting in a significant dip in her overall tally.

Her points total fell to 1,255, allowing several players to overtake her in the standings.

Eala now turns her focus to the European clay-court swing, where she is set to compete in a series of high-level tournaments.

She is scheduled to see action in the Linz Open in Austria from April 6 to 12.

The Filipina has also entered into the Stuttgart Open in Germany later in April, where she is currently listed among the qualifiers.

Eala is likewise part of the entry list for the Madrid Open, a WTA 1000 event that will run from April 21 to May 3, as she looks to regain momentum on clay and climb back up the rankings./ASC, WDJ