Alex Eala climbed to a career-high No. 18 in the latest WTA live rankings, making history as the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player in women’s singles.

The 21-year-old Filipino moved past the previous regional record of No. 19, jointly held by Indonesia’s Yayuk Basuki and Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn.

Eala is currently in New York as she begins her US Open campaign, with her first appearance in the tournament’s mixed doubles competition coming Tuesday, August 25.

Eala will team up with Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship. The pair will face the husband-and-wife tandem of Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and France’s Gael Monfils in the opening round.

The winner will advance to face either top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic or the tandem of Canada’s Leylah Fernandez and American Frances Tiafoe.

Eala enters the US Open after a breakthrough season that has seen her continue to rise in the WTA rankings and establish herself as one of the Philippines’ leading players on the international stage.