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Alex Eala's magnetic authenticity and unwavering conviction, on top of her fearlessness on the court, have endeared her to Filipinos, with her most recent homecoming serving as proof that she is no longer just an ordinary athlete but a cultural figure in her own right
MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala knows who she is and what she wants.
That magnetic authenticity and unwavering conviction, on top of her fearlessness on the court, have endeared Eala to Filipinos, with her most recent homecoming following her historic Wimbledon run serving as proof that she is no longer just an ordinary athlete but a cultural figure in her own right.
An ecstatic President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. hosted Eala at Malacañang on Monday, July 13, and conferred on her the Presidential Citation, openly expressing his admiration for the tennis ace and hailing her as the embodiment of Filipinos’ best qualities.
Then in a fan meet on Wednesday, July 15, Eala felt the love from ardent supporters who patiently waited for hours just to get an up-close look at the athlete who has captured their hearts.
“I cannot speak for how people perceive me before or after my Wimbledon run. I do know that I don’t see myself any differently. I’ve experienced all the hard work that I’ve put in. I know who I am,” said Eala in a press conference organized by one of her sponsors.
“It’s very important when you’re in such public settings, in such vulnerable settings to know who you truly are. I’m confident to say that I’m pretty sure I know who I am. I’m still young. I think I have a lot of time to develop my character and my personality.”
Eala has given the country every reason to root for her.
In Wimbledon, the oldest and widely considered the most prestigious event in tennis, the 21-year-old achieved what no Filipino had ever done by becoming the first player from the Philippines to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament in the Open era.
She accomplished that by dethroning 2025 champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, brushing aside the six-time major winner and former world No. 1 in straight sets in their third-round encounter to advance.
That victory allowed Eala to raise her 2026 record against players in the world top 10 to 5-2, with her other victims including Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina (Berlin Tennis Open), USA’s Coco Gauff (Indian Wells Open), and Italy’s Jasmine Paolini (Dubai Tennis Open).
While Eala commands a huge following with unshakeable faith in her, her strongest source of belief comes from within.
“I think confidence is very important. Whether you’re in the spotlight or not, it’s very important. Self-love is something that you should nurture and you should put effort into. Of course, I believe in myself a lot. I think that’s one of the foundations of my mentality and how I approach my competitions,” said Eala.
And it is also crucial that Eala is surrounded by people who genuinely care about her.
“Having good people around you and people you trust, people with your best interest at heart, that’s incredibly important. They’re the ones who you trust to tell you both good and bad things and you know that it’s the best for you. If I need to improve something, I’ve heard it from them, I’ve noticed it myself, so I have all the right people who give me constructive criticism, and who ultimately want to guide me to where I want to go,” she said.
Eala has been one of the busiest players on the WTA Tour halfway through the 2026 season.
Not counting her eight WTA 125 matches, the Filipina ranks 10th in most matches played this year with 40 as she competed in 17 tournaments that are part of the WTA Tour.
But as much as she is dedicated to her career, Eala values the importance of having a fulfilling life outside the sport.
She has forged meaningful friendships with other top players, including Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez, USA’s Iva Jovic, and Germany’s Eva Lys.
And just recently, Eala took some time off after her Wimbledon campaign by attending a Bad Bunny concert in Sweden, the Filipina spotted singing and dancing with her friends to the hits of the Puerto Rican star.
“Yes, I have a life outside tennis. It’s definitely something I put effort into nurturing because a lot of the times, especially when I’m traveling so much for my job, and I’m sure a lot of you can relate, sometimes your career can become your whole life and the work-life balance becomes off-balance,” said Eala.
“One of my goals that I had at the start of the year was to make more friends on the tour and I think I have super special relationships with some of the girls on tour. That’s something that I love, so I love to go out with them when our schedules align. I love to try new places when I’m traveling a lot. I love to try the food of each country. I’ve started to read. I’m trying to tap into different things.”
“It’s still a process for me. It’s a process of getting to know myself and learning what I want.”
As Eala plunges back to action for the hard-court swing beginning with her participation in the Washington DC Open in the United States later this July, she hopes that her future feats will not only define her journey but also inspire the growth of the sport in the country.
“I’m really happy that I’m at a point now where I’m being asked what I want for Philippine tennis. When I was small, that was not even in my realm of ideas or things to think about but the fact that I’ve grown so much and I’m put in a position where I’m able to think about that is really great,” said Eala.
“I think we have to go step by step and one thing that really fills my heart whenever I come back is when people come up and tell me it’s so hard to play now, it’s so hard to get courts. Maybe the first step would be to have more courts. And then we’ll see from there.” – Rappler.com
