Imagine being 21, with the sporting hopes of a nation riding on your shoulders, millions of fans inspired by you, and the prying eyes of pundits ready to pounce on every loss, every unmet expectation. That’s what Filipino tennis sensation Alex Eala has to deal with, and she’s doing admirably.
It doesn’t mean she doesn’t get overwhelmed, though.
“I definitely do get overwhelmed sometimes,” Eala said about her situation as the Philippines’ great tennis hope. “But I understand that it’s such a privilege to be in the position that I’m in and to be able to live out the dreams that I’ve always had as a kid. So it’s something I’ve had to accept that it comes with the job, and this is how things are. I’m ready for the challenge.”
Yes, Alex Eala is living out her dream—and that dream includes representing the Philippines in every way possible, like playing in the 20th Asian Games.
Alex Eala Has No Regrets Choosing the Asian Games
Over the course of 10 days, Alex Eala represented the Philippines in the 20th Asian Games, and she made it possible by skipping the prestigious China Open in Beijing and leaving precious ranking points and exorbitant prize money on the table. The final results, though, didn’t go the Filipina’s way as she lost in the semis to eventual gold medalist Wang Xinyu of China to settle for her second consecutive Asian Games bronze.
Alex Eala doesn’t seem to mind. She’s just happy she got to rep her home country—all while sharing it with her adoring fans.
“It does come with pressure, but I’m really happy that I was able to compete here,” said Eala. “To be able to share it with the Filipino people is really important… No regrets. I left everything on the court.”
She certainly did. The ball just didn’t bounce her way against Xinyu.
Eyes on the Olympics
Crucially, Alex Eala’s semis exit prevented her from nailing an outright berth in the upcoming Olympics via the ITF Places route. The world No. 18 admits representing the Philippines in the quadrennial sporting showcase is one of her dreams, and losing out on direct qualification isn’t keeping her from pursuing it moving forward.
“There are other ways of qualifying for the Olympics, so I guess it’s also an extra motivation,” she said. “Competing in the Olympics is definitely a dream of mine. So, if anything, I leave here more motivated.”
A motivated Alex Eala? That should be great news for the Philippines.
