​Alex Eala has come a long way since her first-ever Grand Slam appearance at the 2023 Australian Open qualifying.The 21-year-old is now a one-time WTA champion and has climbed to number 18 in the world rankings, her career best. She is also approaching 250 career wins, and has quickly become one of the most popular players in the world.Back in Melbourne in 2023, however, she was not as well known to the world. Eala failed to reach the main draw at the Australian Open that year, losing in the first round of qualifying to Misaki Doi, who has since retired from tennis.Alex Eala lost to Misaki Doi on her Grand Slam debutJapan ace Doi overcame Eala 4-6, 7-6(7-1), 6-3 at the beginning of 2023. It represented the Filipina’s only Grand Slam appearance that year, and their only ever career meeting. Her opponent was a one-time WTA champion at the time, having clinched success at Luxembourg in 2015. Doi reached her career-high rank of 30th the following year.But she decided to call time on her career in the same season she overcame fellow left-hander Eala. The Japan national played various ITF events, reaching finals in India and the Czech Republic, before returning to WTA action. Doi lost her opening match at the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Osaka, before taking to the court one final time in Tokyo.Playing on home soil in front of an adoring crowd, she made it through qualifying to reach the main draw. Doi started out with victory over Petra Martic at the WTA 500 event, but her run was then ended by Maria Sakkari in the round of 16. The pair embraced at the net, with the home favourite presented with flowers during an on-court ceremony.WTA star Iga Swiatek was among those wishing Doi well upon her retirement, writing on X: “Congratulations [MisakiDoi] on your career. I wish you all the best in your next chapter.”Congratulations @MisakiDoiTennis on your career. I wish you all the best in your next chapter.🤗 https://t.co/8erGpgTHna— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) September 28, 2023Meanwhile, Eala has made just one Australian Open main draw appearance since then, falling in round one earlier this year. She has also struggled to make it beyond that stage of the French Open, from two attempts.But the rising star reached the third round of the US Open this year, where Eala was beaten by Iva Jovic, following a superb run to the fourth round of Wimbledon, her best Grand Slam finish to date. That impressive venture involved a famous win over Swiatek before the youngster was knocked out by Jasmine Paolini.