Did You Know? Dyan Castillejo Was the First Filipino Tennis Player to Rank in the WTA

Before she covered tennis stars like Alex Eala on courts around the world, Dyan Castillejo made her own mark on the sport.

The longtime sports journalist once represented the Philippines internationally, and in 1986, she became the first Filipino tennis player to earn an official Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking.

The milestone recently resurfaced after tennis fan and X user @iansantos compiled Dyan’s achievements in a post highlighting her place in Philippine tennis history. The Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) later shared the tribute, highlighting Dyan’s “trailblazing career.”

Dyan became the first Filipino to earn an official WTA ranking, according to the WTA’s own player records. In 1986, she reached a career-high No. 403 in singles and No. 245 in doubles. The WTA’s ranking history also shows her singles ranking reaching No. 403 in December 1986, with her doubles ranking reaching No. 245 during the same month. 

At the time, the now-journalist was already representing the Philippines in international competition. She played in the Fed Cup, now known as the Billie Jean King Cup, from 1981 to 1990, alongside appearances at the Asian Games, Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Junior Wimbledon, and Junior US Open.

Her decade-long run in the Fed Cup also earned her another distinction. In 2017, the International Tennis Federation gave Dyan the Fed Cup Commitment Award, recognizing players who had competed in at least 40 ties at any level of the competition. ABS-CBN reported that she was the first Filipina to receive the honor.

Her international career included seven SEA Games medals between 1981 and 1987, according to PHILTA’s account of her record. She later moved into sports broadcasting, bringing her experience as a former player to the other side of the court.