Alex Eala overwhelmed by 'Filipino love'; glad impact remains positive
Published Jan 25, 2026 11:57 am
At A Glance
- Now ranked WTA No. 49, Eala has welcomed the surge of fan support, viewing it as proof that she is making a positive impact beyond the court.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines waves to her supporters following her first round loss to Alycia Parks of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin))
In a country of more than 7,000 islands—home to over 110 million Filipinos—sporting gems are everywhere.
But not all of them emerge as pink diamonds.
Alex Eala is one of the rare ones.
Forged by pressure and fueled by grit and patriotism, Eala has risen above her peers, drawing all eyes after a stellar 2025 campaign—the most successful of her young career so far.
Her breakthrough sparked an outpouring of support from Filipino fans worldwide, highlighted by a mural, multiple accolades, and even the staging of the inaugural WTA 125 Philippine Open. Still, the 20-year-old continues to navigate through the attention with humility and gratitude.
“I’m slowly becoming more aware of the gravity that people say I have here. This is my home, so it’s hard to feel like I’m all this and all that,” Eala said during a press conference at the Rizal Memorial Complex.
“Every time I come home, I feel warmth. It’s a familiar atmosphere. All of this attention is quite new, especially after the success of last year,” she added. “It’s a learning curve for me to figure out how to deliver.”
Now ranked WTA No. 49, Eala has welcomed the surge of fan support, viewing it as proof that she is making a positive impact beyond the court.
“But it’s a really good problem to have,” she said. “It means I’m doing well, making people happy, and touching lives in a certain way. So I’m happy about it.”
The Southeast Asian Games gold medalist was also thrilled to learn she had been featured in an art installation alongside Filipino sports icons Manny Pacquiao, Olympic gold medalists Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo and Carlos Yulo, and other national greats.
“I feel very flattered being alongside so many great names. It’s hard to grasp—lalo na the mural,” Eala said.
“It’s my first time seeing something like that, and I’m very proud to do what I can. I’m so happy to be alongside those great athletes,” she added.
The 5-foot-9, seeded No. 2, opens her campaign against Russia’s Alina Charaeva in the main draw of the WTA 125 tournament at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center.