Is Alex Eala the WTA’s ‘best returner’? How Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and the rest of the top 10 rank

Alex Eala has been hailed as the WTA Tour’s best returner in the world right now by former British No 1 Greg Rusedski.

The former US Open finalist also said the Filipina’s game has shades of world No 1 Jannik Sinner and 22-time major winner Rafael Nadal.

He said, “When I watch her, she reminds me a little bit of Rafael Nadal; the intensity she has on the court. And you look at her positioning with her body.

“She’s always at the same level with her height when she moves from the back of the court, almost a little bit reminiscent of the intensity of Rafael, but the level on height with the bending of the knees like Jannik Sinner. So, it’s a brilliant combination she has. And the mindset is second to none.”

Rusedski later added, “She’s probably the best return of serve player in the world at the moment. The way she can take it so early, take your time away. It doesn’t matter if she’s facing a big server or someone who’s serving slow, she’s willing to step in.”

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So, who is the best returner on the women’s tour? That is not an easy answer. For instance, different players lead the way when it comes to first and second serve return points won, return games won, and return points won.

For the percentage of first serve return points won, Clara Burel, who has played four matches this year and is ranked 416th, is top with 47.7%.

The first big name that scores highly here is Coco Gauff down in 20th, with 42.1%. Iga Swiatek is 23rd on 41.5% and French Open champion Mirra Andreeva is 29th at 41.1%.

So to break this down in a more digestible way, Tennis365 has outlined where the top 10 WTA players rank, plus Eala, against the rest of the field, according to the WTA‘s website. Below is the official top 10 ranking, plus Eala sitting in 18th.

1) Aryna Sabalenka

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 115th, 36.1%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 62nd, 57%

- Percentage of return games won: 74th, 37.1%

- Percentage of return points won: 69th, 44.6%

2) Elena Rybakina

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 177th, 34.2%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 110th, 54.9%

- Percentage of return games won: 127th, 32.4%

- Percentage of return points won: 130th, 42.3%

3) Jessica Pegula

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 61st, 38.6%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 85th, 56%

- Percentage of return games won: 62nd, 37.9%

- Percentage of return points won: 55th, 45.3%

4) Coco Gauff

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 20th, 42.1%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 72nd, 56.5%

- Percentage of return games won: 23rd, 44.8%

- Percentage of return points won: 22nd, 47.7%

5) Mirra Andreeva

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 29th, 41.1%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 56th, 57.2%

- Percentage of return games won: 31st, 42.9%

- Percentage of return points won: 29th, 47%

6) Linda Noskova

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 190th, 33.5%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 158th, 53.4%

- Percentage of return games won: 151st, 30.5%

- Percentage of return points won: 171st, 41.2%

7) Karolina Muchova

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 96th, 36.9%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 157th, 53.4%

- Percentage of return games won: 111th, 33.7%

- Percentage of return points won: 109th, 43%

8) Iga Swiatek

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 23rd, 41.5%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 13th, 61.6%

- Percentage of return games won: Ninth, 48.5%

- Percentage of return points won: 10th, 49.1%

9) Elina Svitolina

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 56th, 38.8%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 28th, 59.5%

- Percentage of return games won: 32nd, 42.2%

- Percentage of return points won: 33rd, 46.7%

10) Amanda Anisimova

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 77th, 37.7%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 27th, 59.5%

- Percentage of return games won: 43rd, 40.6%

- Percentage of return points won: 41st, 45.9%

18) Alex Eala

- Percentage of first serve return points won: 100th, 36.8%

- Percentage of second serve return points won: 67th, 56.8%

- Percentage of return games won: 75th, 37%

- Percentage of return points won: 73rd, 44.5%

Incidentally, Burel leads the list for percentage of return points won at 52.2%, while world No 158 Jazmin Ortenzi – who has only played four matches in 2026 – is first for percentage of return games won 55.6%.

For percentage of second serve return points won, world No 411 Jule Niemeier is first at 71.4% but has played a grand total of one match this year.

Who is the best returner in the top 10?

Based on these WTA Tour stats for 2026, Swiatek is top dog, with the six-time major winner leading the group in three of the four overall return measures.

Gauff is second, and is the best for first serve return points won, while Andreeva comes in third as she averages around the top 30 in three of the four categories.

In this 11-strong player list, Eala would rank down in eighth for the year. Wimbledon champion Noskova is the worst of the bunch, and world No 1 Sabalenka is ninth.

These are imperfect stats, particularly as many players in the WTA Tour’s sample have played just a handful of matches that skews things. But it is safe to say, Eala isn’t the best returner on tour going by these stats.