Alex Eala’s former coach believes the Filipina ace has what it takes to qualify for the WTA Finals, which will be held from 8 to 15 November in Indian Wells, California.

Former national team coach Karl Santamaria said deep runs in both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open could propel the 21-year-old Filipina into the top eight of the prestigious year-end tournament.

The WTA Finals features the top seven players in the race, along with the highest-ranked Grand Slam champion who qualifies, with $15.5 million in prize money at stake.

“She still has a lot of potential to even go higher if she does really well here in Toronto and in Cincinnati, which are both Masters 1000, and of course, the US Open,” said Santamaria, who helped hone Eala during her formative years.

“If she can make it there, her spot will really be cemented and she can possibly be inside the top 10. It’s within reach that she can get inside the top eight at the end of the year.”

Eala is currently No. 14 in the WTA Finals race with 1,878 points, although that standing could change during her upcoming tournaments.

French Open champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia currently leads the pack with 4,999 points, four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is in second with 4,945 points and reigning WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in third place with 4,627 points.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic is in seventh place with 3,674 points, which means that Eala still has a lot of catching up to do.

Deep runs in WTA 1000 events such as the Cincinnati Open, which starts on 15 August in Ohio, and the US Open — the final Grand Slam of the year — would give Eala a significant boost in the race for a spot in the season-ending tournament.

For now, Eala has her sights set on Cincinnati as she continues to rest and recover following her run in Toronto.

“Yeah, reunite maybe with some friends in Cincinnati, and just try to have fun. I’ll be back on court so I got to enjoy what I have. I got to enjoy the time that I have that I’m not on court,” Eala said.