Alex Eala shares her realizations halfway through her historic 2025.
Alex Eala has returned to Manila as a local hero.
She has been on a recent string of historic campaigns on the international tennis scene, which have, most impressively, included a semifinal appearance in the Miami Open, a runner-up finish in the Lexus Eastbourne Open, and two Grand Slam main draw debuts at Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships. On this journey, she has even defeated some of the world’s top tennis players, like World No. 3 and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek.
Eala is moving up in the tennis world. She began the year ranked World No. 140 and has jumped all the way up to World No. 56.
The 20-year-old has put the Philippines on the map, as far as tennis goes, and has earned the reputation of a rising star. And while she is back home in Manila, she can feel the love and support she has gained from the Filipino community firsthand.
“There’s so much positive I get from the Pinoys,” Alex shared during a meet-and-greet hosted by Globe on Friday, July 18. “I’m just so grateful for all the love and support. I feel like it’s a mistake to forget that.”
Indeed, Filipinos have been rallying behind Alex Eala as she continues her rise to the top, and she relishes in their continued support. “We’re such a patriotic people. I’ve never met a Filipino that’s not proud to be Filipino, and I feel that’s just part of our community,” she said proudly.
As a Filipino athlete, Alex is blazing a trail on the international tennis scene. During the recent Lexus Eastbourne Open, for instance, she became the first Filipina player to reach a WTA-level final, and she continues to pave a new path for tennis in the Philippines — and she does not take her role as a trailblazer lightly.
“It’s such an honor,” she told the press at the meet-and-greet. “I do my best to behave as well as I can because I know that, especially in the international tennis scene, I’m kind of what comes to mind when they think of a Filipina, so I really do my best.”
What changed for Alex in 2025?
Twenty-twenty-five has indeed been a breakout year for Alex Eala. From the Miami Open to her Wimbledon appearance, she has been breaking boundaries and reaching new heights. And at only 20 years old, she still has a long way to go.
But how did her meteoric rise come about? For the youngster, it was all about finding new things to improve every time she steps onto the court.
“I think I’ve been working on a lot of aspects of my game individually, and this year, talagang nag-click,” she reveals. “For example, my fitness, mas fit ako ngayon, mas tumatagal ako sa court, and…I’m able to maintain the level for a longer period of time, that’s why I can sometimes hang with these top players. Little adjustments in everything, and this year, medyo nag-click.”
These “little adjustments,” as she calls them, has led to some big leaps in her game. In her Wimbledon main draw debut, for instance, where she faced reigning champion Barbora Krejčíková on Centre Court, she impressively put her opponent to the test and won the first set. Though she was unable to advance to the latter stage of the tournament, this was still a sign of her ability to go toe-to-toe with proven champions.
Her growth this year cannot be denied, and she knows she is closer than ever to achieving her goals — but it is not lost on her that even more work needs to be done for her to continue, or even improve, her momentum.
Talking about some of her biggest realizations this year, Alex shared, “I was talking with one of my coaches, and it was crazy with how things changed before and after Miami, how many doors opened up, and of course, all this attention and everything — and it’s crazy because we were saying that everything that I’m doing is still the same.
“Our routines are still the same, the people surrounding me are still the same, my tight circle. So he told me, ‘So Alex, what’s the lesson in that?’ And I thought about it and I said, ‘What?’ And he said, ‘The lesson is that when you’re doing bad, it’s not as bad as you think, and when you’re doing good, it’s also not as good as you think…
“Sometimes, it will click and you will get results, and sometimes it will be a bit more difficult.”
What’s next for Alex?
The year is not done yet. Alex Eala has a number of big tournaments lined up — but her next big target will be the upcoming US Open, where she will once again be included in the main draw.
“There’s still a lot for me to achieve,” she reflected. “There are a lot of big tournaments lined up, not just the US Open, so I hope to play well there, and of course, try to get my first Grand Slam major win.”
After the US Open, Alex also shared with the media that she will be playing around Asia: “There will be a few [tournaments] around China. I know there’s one in Hong Kong in October, and yeah, closer to home. So if anyone wants to come!”
Her matches in Asia towards the latter part of 2025 would definitely be a great way for Filipino fans to catch Alex in action, especially as she continues to carry the Philippine flag with pride.
“Especially me, or other athletes, when we’re competing in these international stages, what you don’t realize is that where you come from is such a big part of who you are. So every time you step out onto the court, there’s always going to be a flag next to your name, it’s always going to relate to your identity…
“A part of loving yourself is loving where you come from and being proud of it.”
Banner image from AFP.