Let’s make one thing perfectly crystal clear from the outset, I love and admire what Alex Eala is doing for the Philippines in world tennis, and I would like nothing more than to see her reach even higher, and break into the Top 20. On a club level, I’ve been playing tennis for over 40 years, and watching and following Grand Slams and other ATP and WTA tournaments for those same number of years – admittedly, more “obsessed” with the men’s game.

So what I have to say below comes from what’s meant to be a good place – from a desire to see her achieve more, and finally break into the win column in main WTA tour events – and not just being a killjoy.

These main WTA tour events are the WTA 250, 500, 1000, Grand Slams and WTA Finals. The WTA 125 is essentially a Challenger Series, with points accumulated credited to the players, but a victory in a WTA 125 is not considered a WTA Tour win. Alex emerged victorious in Guadalajara in 2025, but it was a WTA 125 – our maiden Philippine Women’s Open of early February was also a WTA 125 event.

In Women’s tennis, I even remember Tamarine Tanasugarn, who I would root for; as she was a rare Southeast Asian presence on the circuit. Hailing from Thailand, she turned pro in 1994 and retired in 2016; with a highest career ranking in Singles of #19, which she achieved in 2002. She amassed four career WTA titles; and in the Slams, once reached the Quarter Finals of Wimbledon. In Women’s Doubles, she picked up eight titles, and ranked #15 at one time in her Doubles career. So yes, my dream would be for Alex to do even better than Tamarine.

I’ve been following Eala’s pro career avidly; and kudos to her team for their strategy in scheduling which tournaments to enter in 2024 and 2025. They skipped a number of the bigger tournaments to help Alex amass the vital points to rise up in the rankings, and gain automatic main draw entry to the slams and certain big tournaments. These vital points came as a result of going deep in these tournaments, and not being knocked out during the first round.

As we can see from Alex’s stints here in Manila, and in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Dubai – there really isn’t much to separate the WTA tennis players from say #25 to #100. Anyone within that range has the physical skills, talent, and ability to knock out the other player.

It’s the women ranked #1 to #25 that possess a different mental approach to the game; with a gift to change strategies within a match when needed, coupled with the fitness and stamina to persevere when it’s called for, and the fortitude to bring on that “game face” at each tournament they enter. They operate on a different level, and that’s my honest assessment of what it takes, and where Alex still has to go. To deny that and think she’s fine is to accept she’s plateaued; and this as far as she goes.

So what will it take to bring her to the next level? From where I stand, and without second-guessing her management; I’d say there’s a need to bring a fresh perspective on board. It may be from within the Rafa Nadal Academy, but a new voice may be needed – one for strategy and planning. I watch Alex play like gangbusters the first set, but when her opponent starts figuring out her game and makes adjustments or counter moves, Alex doesn’t counter the counter, doesn’t show that her game is multi-dimensional. Then it’s frustrating to watch her confidence ebb away. That, and a more lethal service game.

Thanks to the Filipino diaspora, there’s a global audience ready to support Alex no matter where her WTA tour stop takes her. And that has been observed and commented on by the international Sports press. The only downside to this is quite often, they’re not really fans of tennis, but just enthusiastic about Eala. She’s their beacon, their inspiration, and the reason they show up at the tournaments.

These fans have been characterized as boisterous, eager; but also lacking in the knowledge of tennis spectator etiquette – like you don’t clap or cheer over a double fault, or in the middle of a point. And I was sad to read some of these fans comment with misplaced, false bravado; about how this is the new Filipino brand of cheering, and the tennis world better get used to it.

I’m sorry, but tennis has been around long before Alex Eala, and it will endure after. Insisting on what is considered within tennis circles as boorish behavior will backfire on Alex herself. It’ll disrupt the matches, people might be ‘removed’, plus other players will start resenting Alex for bringing these kind of spectators. It’s happened in the US Open, where the night sessions will have fans fueled by alcohol, but ultimately, order will be restored.

Our media coverage of Alex also gets my goat. She’s knocked out in the second round, or in the Quarters; and how do we report that? We talk about the prize money she’ll make for having reached that far. Again, it pains me to say that’s crass, and doesn’t improve things at all. I really doubt the sports desks of other countries cover tennis in that manner. First, it’s not like she won some Lotto or game of chance. Are we even making the reader understand the years of investing, and money out the door, for Alex to now reach the level she’s at? The enormity of her parents’ underwriting this “tennis adventure,” that’s now being reduced to prize money? Plus how this spending continues with fees, travel, accommodations, and so on.

While in Grand Slams there is the unwritten rule that there is no “appearance money;” for WTA 250 and 500 events, these fees do exist, and there has been a move to make them more transparent. Top-ranked and popular players are offered, to secure their participation. And yes, this is separate from being awarded prize money. Has Alex reached the point where she’ll be offered? That time may be close, and who knows if it’s already happening with particular tournaments.

The extremely popular Anna Kournikova made her debut in the WTA tour in 1995, and retired in 2003. While she achieved a highest ranking of #8 in 2000, she never won a Singles tournament. Her achievements in Doubles are more noteworthy, as she did win the Australian Open twice, with Martina Hingis as her partner.

I mention Tamarine and Anna to put things in perspective. For Alex Eala, there’s still a story to be written; and I’d like to think there is a lifting of a trophy at a main WTA tour event in those pages. What it’ll take to achieve that, is what her team has to figure out.