The first Filipino to break into the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 100 – she is currently ranked 73rd – is setting her sights on the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal and Mutua Madrid Open in Spain this April, before making her grand slam debut as a pro at the French Open in May. But is the 19 year-old tennis ace also looking to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?
This was one of the questions answered by Alex Eala, as she held her first press conference for the Filipino press recently, in partnership with Bank of the Philippine Islands and Globe.
“I think that the Olympics is such a big event. It’s definitely one of my goals to represent the country there,” said Alex, who’s now back to training after her historic run in Miami. “So hopefully in 2028.”
She’s also looking forward to celebrating with her fans in the Philippines, though admits that a trip to Manila may have to wait. “That’s tough. I would love to come back because a lot of my family is there. Well, all of my family is there. But the schedule cannot permit it. The tennis schedule and the WTA tour is very on-the-go. It’s never really stopping. So maybe third or fourth quarter is the only time I’ll be able to come home,” shared Alex, who was training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca during the interview.
“I’ve grown so much”
The athlete, who is slated to compete in several tournaments starting this month, also shared that she felt tremendous growth as a player in the past year. “I’ve grown so much as a player. Technically and tactically, I’m smarter on the court. I’m physically much stronger than I was a year ago. So I think all of those things combined make such a difference in my game, especially when I’m playing well,” she said.
Alex also credited “consistency and focusing on herself” for her spectacular performance at the recent Miami Open. “I think strategizing is a big part, and to focus on what your strengths are as a tennis player, not to focus so much on the opponent. Of course, there are tips and tricks that you should know about the general style of how your opponent plays, but not to read into it so much. And then just think point by point and what you need to do,” added Alex, who also named world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, as her dream opponent.
When quizzed on her newfound fame — and the country’s growing interest in tennis thanks to her feats — Alex said: “I never thought about it like that. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that ako yung trailblazer because I’ve always just been the type to keep my head down and to work. Anyone who wants to take inspiration from me is welcome, too. But that doesn’t mean that I’m the only one they can take inspiration from. For example, growing up, I took inspiration from the likes of Sharapova, Lina or Halep. So there’s so many people, and if they just look beyond the Philippines, you can take so much more inspiration.” — By Jose Paolo S. dela Cruz
