2025 has been a landmark year for Southeast Asian tennis. Two young women—Alexandra Eala of the Philippines and Janice Tjen of Indonesia—have shattered barriers and signaled a new era for the sport in a region long overshadowed by badminton and other disciplines.
Alexandra Eala: Breaking the Top 50 Ceiling
For Alexandra Eala, this season was nothing short of historic. The 20-year-old Filipina closed the year ranked World No. 50 with 1,143 points, becoming the first Filipina ever to break into the WTA Top 50. Her rise from outside the Top 150 at the start of the year to this milestone is a testament to her resilience and talent.
Eala’s defining moment came at the Miami Open, where she stunned the tennis world by reaching the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event. Along the way, she defeated three Grand Slam champions, including World No. 2 Iga Świątek and Australian Open winner Madison Keys. Later, she claimed her first WTA title at the Guadalajara Open (WTA 125), cementing her place among the sport’s rising stars.
Her momentum carried into the US Open, where Eala became the first Filipino player to win a Grand Slam main-draw match in the Open Era, defeating 14th seed Clara Tauson in a dramatic three-set thriller. That victory electrified Flushing Meadows and inspired millions back home.
Below is Janice Tjen vs Alexandra Eala’s WTA ranking progress in 2025.
Janice Tjen: Indonesia’s New Tennis Trailblazer
If Eala’s rise was historic, Janice Tjen’s journey was equally remarkable. The 23-year-old Indonesian began 2025 ranked outside the Top 500 and finished at World No. 53 with 1,106 points, her career-best ranking achieved in November. This makes her the No. 1 Indonesian female player today and the highest-ranked since Angelique Widjaja in 2004.
For context, the highest WTA singles ranking ever achieved by an Indonesian player remains No. 19 by Yayuk Basuki in the 1990s, followed by Angelique Widjaja, who peaked at No. 55 in 2004. Tjen’s current position is the best for her country in over two decades.
Tjen’s breakthrough came at the Chennai Open, where she captured her first WTA 250 singles title, defeating Australia’s Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
This victory ended a 23-year drought for Indonesia, making her the first Indonesian woman to win a WTA Tour singles title since Widjaja in 2002. She also reached the São Paulo Open final and lifted a WTA 125 trophy in Jinan, China.
At the US Open, Tjen stunned 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round, becoming the first Indonesian woman to win a Grand Slam singles match since 2003. Though she fell to Emma Raducanu in the second round, her performance marked a historic milestone for Indonesian tennis.
A Turning Point for Southeast Asia
The simultaneous rise of Eala and Tjen signals a new chapter for Southeast Asian tennis. Their success stories—built on international training, perseverance, and sheer determination—are inspiring a generation of players and attracting global attention to the region’s untapped potential.
With Eala aiming for deeper Grand Slam runs and Tjen eyeing a Top 30 breakthrough, 2026 promises even bigger moments. For now, their achievements in 2025 stand as a powerful reminder: Southeast Asia belongs on the world tennis map.
You can catch Eala and Tjen in action next year at the Grand Slam on SPOTV NOW.
