Alex Eala rises to career-high No. 17 in WTA rankings - GMA Network

Just before plunging into her final WTA event of the year, Alex Eala hit another new milestone by climbing to a new career-high in the world rankings at No. 17.

The 21-year-old Filipina rose to her career-best placing on Monday, just a day before opening her campaign at the WTA250 Hong Kong Open against American star Alycia Parks in the Round of 32.

Eala climbed two places from No. 19 to No. 17, surpassing her previous career-high ranking of No. 18.

The development came following Eala's quarterfinal appearance at the Pan Pacific Open in Japan, where she defeated Mika Stojsavljevic and Talia Gibson in the first two rounds before falling to Diana Shnaider in the Top 8.

Before that, Eala was coming off a series of early exits in the Singapore Open, Wuhan Open, and Ningbo Open, all part of the Asian Swing.

Eala will look to cap her WTA season on a high note as she targets a second career victory over Parks. The two have split their previous meetings, with the American getting the better of the Filipina at the Australian Open before Eala exacted revenge at the Canadian Open.