Alex Eala will make her much-awaited debut on home soil on Monday against world No. 163 Alina Charaeva at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. And as she prepares for this historic WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open, Eala isn’t too keen just yet to talk about the legacy she’ll leave behind.
Alex Eala: Too Soon to Talk About Legacy
That’s understandable. Eala is, after all, only 20 years old, and her legacy in tennis isn’t written yet. As of now, all she can do is do what she does best.
“It’s hard to think about legacy or what legacy I would want because I’m only 20, so I have a lot of years ahead of me, I have so much to learn pa rin,” Eala acknowledged when asked about her legacy in a press conference on Saturday. “But I like to think that what I do and the success I had recently has been a contributor to Philippine tennis and the history of the sport here in our country and, of course, the future of the sport in our country.”
Indeed, Eala has her whole career ahead of her, but she’s certainly off to a good enough start and has raised the profile of tennis here in the country. Prior to the inaugural WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open tournament, the Quezon City native has achieved quite a few milestones already, and these hint at a potentially illustrious career down the line.
Among Eala’s notable achievements is playing in the main draw of all four Grand Slams, becoming the first Filipina to beat a ranked opponent in a Grand Slam, and winning the WTA 125 Guadalajara Open. She has also climbed to No. 49 in the WTA World Rankings.
Hoping to Be an Inspiration
In the here and now, Alex Eala is just hoping that she can inspire people with what she’s doing.
“I just do the best that I can and hope that I can inspire people in a positive way. I do my best to carry myself with grace and humility. But then again, thinking about legacy is something I haven’t really touched on yet,” she said.
Given the huge crowds that have religiously followed her, it’s safe to say Eala has become an inspiration to many Filipinos. In fact, Philippine Women’s Open qualifier Tenny Madis has gone on record in saying that Eala is one of her inspirations, along with her older sister.
So, yes, it might be too early to talk about Alex Eala’s legacy. But one thing is for certain: the Rafa Nadal Academy alum has contributed a lot to Philippine tennis and is inspiring a generation of Filipinos in search of their next great sporting hero.
