Alex Eala isn’t just making an impact on Philippine tennis. She is impacting the sport in general, and that impact is not only growing but also becoming more and more undeniable.
Naturally, Eala is humbled by it, especially with pundits pointing out her increasing imprint in the world of tennis. In fact, the 21‑year‑old Quezon City native has a far more profound perspective on what she has done as the latest sensation in the sport.
“Well, I think at the forefront of everything is gratitude. I’m very grateful for the support that my fans give me and that my supporters give me. But in terms of what I contribute to tennis, every single WTA player and every single ATP player has contributed to the world of tennis and its history just by being here and by putting in the work every single day,” Eala said when asked ahead of the US Open if she’s aware of the impact she’s been making. “So although there are certain things like the media and the things that you mentioned that make me stand out, I think that I’m a drop in the ocean when it comes to these things.”
That “drop in the ocean” has taken the tennis world by storm and is taking the Philippines along for the ride. Even so, she’s maintaining an even‑keeled mentality through it all—choosing instead to use the “many stories behind the scenes” to keep getting better.
The Stories of Tennis Keeping Alex Eala Humble
Importantly, Alex Eala is taking in whatever positives the ocean is offering her. And the ocean, in this case, comprises the many players on tour, past and present, and their respective stories. The legendary Venus Williams, whom the Filipina has partnered with twice already this season, is one of them. There are many more.
“The more I’m on tour, the more I learn about the history. Of course, this year, having had the pleasure to play doubles twice with Venus, I’ve learned a lot about her mentality on court, but also things about how she championed equal prize money with her sister and things like that,” Eala noted. “And maybe the regular player on tour, who’s not so exposed to the media, what they’ve had to work towards and what they’ve had to work through to get to where they are now is so inspiring in itself.”
“There are so many stories behind the scenes that you might not even realize. So, that really keeps me humble. It keeps me motivated to work harder and be among and stay among these incredible people.”
Alex Eala won’t admit it, but she’s fast turning out to be one of those incredible people in tennis—if she isn’t already. And, on Monday, she’ll look to continue building her legacy as she starts her main draw campaign at the US Open against American Mary Stoiana.
