In the aftermath of Alex Eala’s successive victories over the world’s leading tennis players that led to her championship run in Washington, D.C., Rappler released a video clip that her legions of fans should find time to watch.

With remarkable humility, she said that her victories are not simply personal wins; but as triumphs that she wants to share with all Filipinos. I watched and listened intently to the reel that was widely shared after landing in Facebook: “Iba talaga ‘pag nakakarinig ng Tagalog, especially sa mga world stages kasi bihira lang nangyayari ‘yun.” (It’s really different when you hear Tagalog being used globally, as that does not happen very often.)

She recalls that at age 13, she availed herself of a scholarship offered by the Rafael Nadal Academy situated in Mallorca, off the eastern coast of mainland Span, about 548 kilometers from Madrid and 219 kilometers from Barcelona. There she completed her secondary education from Grade 8 to Grade 11 while undergoing intensive tennis skills development.

For her senior year, she transitioned to online private classes through Laurel Springs School, an academic partner of the academy, allowing her to complete her high school diploma while competing full-time on the professional tour. She successfully graduated in 2023.

Except for Christmas and New Year interludes when she took the opportunity to return to the Philippines, she studied and lived in Mallorca.

Alex narrates that, on account of her round-the-clock immersion and exposure there, she realized that her fluency in her native tongue was diminishing: “Medyo pumapalpak na ang Tagalog ko. So I made it a point na magkaroon ng mga libro na Tagalog. Nakikinig (rin) ako sa OPM (Original Pilipino Music), pinapanood ko yung news…para ma-sustain ko yung level ng Tagalog ko.

Indeed, she was always mindful of retaining her Filipino identity through the use of the native tongue: “Malaking bagay ‘yan sa pagiging Pinoy. That’s how people bond. That’s what I don’t see in other people: the sense of kapwa and community. It has brought me blessings. Everywhere I go, ang dami-daming Pinoy na nagpupunta…and not a lot of tennis players get that.”

What Alex has underlined as the significance of “pagiging Pinoy”) (or being Filipino) actually affirms the essence and vitality of ‘kapwa’, which is the recognition of our shared humanity and responsibility. By itself, ‘kapwa’ transcends Pinoy uniqueness.

It is difficult for non-Filipinos to fully grasp, imbibe or embrace what ‘kapwa’ truly means — and that is the exceptional gift that has propelled Alex Eala to the unparalleled heights of popularity that she has attained.

Even her latest opponent, Jessica Pegula, acknowledged that after her championship game versus Alex at Washington, D.C. last week, she received tremendous support from Filipinos who expressed their appreciation to her through social media. Such is the amazing power of ‘kapwa’ or Filipino other-centeredness that Alex Eala’s humility and magnanimity has evoked.

As we witness how Alex is lionized by millions across the globe, we begin to realize what has made her a very important celebrity. Alex herself verbalizes this phenomenon. She says that, she feels humbled by the outpouring of love that she experiences from her Filipino admirers on- and off the tennis court.

Flashing back to 2022 when she won the US junior championship, Alex said then: “Nagpapasalamat ako sa pamilya ko. Kasi kasi kung hindi dahil sa kanila, hindi ko talaga ito kakayanin. Maraming salamat din sa lahat ng nagdasal at nagsuporta sa akin. Buong puso ko itong ipinaglaban, hindi lang para sa sarili ko kundi para makatulong din ako sa kinabukasan ng Pilipinas. So hindi lang ito panalo ko, panalo nating lahat.”

(I wish to thank my family; without their support, I could not have made it here. I also wish to thank all those who supported and prayed for me. I fought with my whole heart to win this, not for myself but to be able to help advance the future and well-being of the Philippines. This is not my triumph alone. This victory belongs to all of us.)

Only last Thursday, August 6, she said this after winning her match at the Toronto Open: “Linggo-linggo ko kayong nakikita, sinusuporta ako. Linggo-linggo kong nakikita kung gaano ’nyo kamahal ang kapwa ’nyong Pinoy, kaya proud na proud akong maging Pinoy. Salamat, mga kababayan.” (Every week, I could see and feel your support for me. I could see and feel how much you love me as your fellow Filipino, and that makes me very proud. Thank you, my countrymen.)

Seasoned sports observers have noted that while many top-tier players possess the advantages of deep financial privilege or imposing physical frames, Alex Eala plays with the gritty determination of someone carrying the pride of a sports-starved nation.

Rather than treating her victories as personal wins, she famously refers to them as shared triumphs for all Filipinos. Hence, fans and sports advocates view her rise not just as an individual milestone, but as a representation of Filipino resilience.

It is difficult for non-Filipinos to fully grasp, imbibe or embrace what ‘kapwa’ truly means — and that is the exceptional gift that has propelled Alex Eala to the unparalleled heights of popularity that she has attained.

While higher-ranked players enjoy their current ascendancy by dint of their victories on the tennis court, Alex draws massive public support from the millions of Filipinos whose love and admiration for her are rooted in their shared ethnicity — a bond that covers a broad sweep that includes culture and language, ancestry and heritage, traditions and beliefs.

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