Pressure changes everything. Squeeze some people and they sharpen; others fold. It’s a truth captured memorably by Al Pacino’s John Milton in The Devil’s Advocate—and one that Philippine tennis ace Alex Eala understands all too well.

At just 20, Eala is already carrying the weight of expectation, especially as she competes on home soil for the first time as a professional at the inaugural WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open.

As pressure mounted, she knew exactly what needed to be done and adopted the mindset to rise above the demands.

For Eala, pressure is simply part of the job.

“Pressure is part of my job, and a lot of people ask me how I handle it. Of course, there’s added pressure playing at home,” said Eala after her dominant 6-1, 6-2 opening-round win over Russia’s Alina Charaeva.

“But it’s nothing compared to the pressures that everyday Filipinos face providing for their families. It’s nothing compared to what my parents have sacrificed to bring me here,” she added.

It was an honest take from Eala, who also acknowledged the opportunity in front of her and continues to echo the famous words of tennis icon Billie Jean King: ‘Pressure is a privilege.’

An honest take from Eala, who also acknowledged the opportunity before her and continues to embody the famous words of tennis icon Billie Jean King: ‘Pressure is a privilege.’

“Yeah, I would say there's a bit of added pressure but yeah, that's the job. The job comes with pressure and like Billie Jean King says, pressure is a privilege and I'm learning how to handle it in my own ways,” Eala continued.

“The everyday person, not only Filipinos, it's just everyone around the world has their own struggles and in the end it is a privilege to be able to live out my dreams,” said Eala. “I'm a professional tennis player. I've worked my whole life to be like this… I have so much to feel lucky for despite the challenges that come with my job.”

For Eala, the overflowing love and support from her fans keeps her grounded, and the best way she knows to reciprocate it is by giving her all on the court.

“I represent quite a big demographic and it's such an honor to have this support and this community rally behind me. So I do my best to give back to them and do what I can through my tennis and through my hard work,” said Eala.

“And sometimes when all this attention and all of this pressure gets a bit overwhelming for me, that's kind of what I repeat to myself and that's what makes me feel small again and pulls me back to the ground,” she added.