After Eala drop, Indonesia's Tjen becomes highest rated Southeast Asian in WTA rankings

MANILA, Philippines — At least for now, Indonesian Janice Tjen is the highest rated Southeast Asian player at the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings at No. 41.

This is after Filipino sensation Alex Eala dropped from a career-best No. 29 to No. 45 in the rankings update on Monday.

Tjen, 23, thus overtook Eala, 20 in the rankings for the first time, with the former sporting 1,317 rankings points and the latter 1,255.

Tjen was in 40th place before the ranking update and avoided a significant fall since she had no points to defend at the just concluded 1000-tier Miami Open, where she was eliminated with a 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 loss to Yulia Putintseva.

The Indonesian ace did not compete in Miami last year unlike Eala who reached the semifinals and gained 390 points.

This year, Eala managed 120 points only, losing 270 with a round of 16 loss to Czech Karolina Muchova, 0-6, 2-6.

Eala was always ranked above Tjen at the WTA rankings especially with her historic semifinal finish at the Miami Open last year.

That sent Eala from No. 140 to No. 75 in the rankings while Tjen was around 390 to 395.

Eala and Tjen, who reached the semifinals as teammates at the Abu Dhabi Open last February, kept climbing the ladder until the Filipino reached No. 50 and the Indonesian No. 53 at the end of the 2025 season.

Eala continued her tear to the 2026 season and cracked the top 30 at No. 29 on March 16, while Tjen steadily climbed the latter.

Eala's drop, however, not only closed the gap but enabled Tjen to get ranked higher than the Filipino.

Whether or not Tjen can retain her rankings lead over Eala will be determined this clay season.

Meanwhile, two other Southeast Asians are also playing in the WTA Tour in Lanlana Tararudee and Mananchaya Sawangkaew who are both from Thailand.

Tararudee, 21, is No. 112 in the rankings, while Sawangkaew, 23, is No. 190.

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