Tennis prodigy and Globe Ambassador Alex Eala got a tremendous boost several days before the start of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year after being ranked 9th in the latest ITF World Juniors Ranking, the highest Southeast Asian tennis player in the Top 10.

Eala has earned 1,452.50 points in the updatedITF World Junior rankings  to join the top 10 best tennis players in the world.

In doing so, Eala secures a spot in the main draw of the 2020 Australian Open, the first of four Grand Slam events she is set to compete in this year.  

“I couldn’t have made it without you. Thank you Rafa Nadal Academy, Globe Telecom and Babolat,” Eala posted on her Facebook account.

A Globe Ambassador for the last four years, the company has been sponsoring the tennis sensation since she was eight years old. Eala is also a scholar at the prestigious tennis academy in Spain owned by the world’s number one player Rafael Nadal. 

“We are so proud of what Alex has achieved so far. Like what I have said so many times before, Alex can accomplish whatever she wants as long as she continues to work hard, persevere and focus on her goals. We wish her well on the upcoming Australian Open and we call all our “kababayans” to rally once more behind Alex as she competes against the world’s best,” Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO says.

After finishing the 2018 season ranked 248th in the world, the 14-year-old Eala had a breakthrough run last year to jump to a then career best 13th last October. She improved two notches higher after winning the title in the Orange Bowl doubles tournament in Florida last December to come within a spot in breaking the elite Top 10 best players of the world.

Eala will start her 2020 season by competing in the Traralgon junior international event on January 17. This will serve as her warm-up tournament before opening her Australian Open bid.

The 2020 Australian Open Juniors Tournament unfolds in Melbourne on January 25 until February 1. 

Photo courtesy : Businessworld Online