The Philippine delegation to the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, got a huge boost a couple of weeks ago when the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) confirmed that tennis sensation Alex Eala will be joining the team. It should be a treat for the other Filipino athletes representing the country, and rest assured that the 21-year-old rising star is just as excited about donning the Philippines’ colors once again.
Actually, she’s already looking forward to it.
“I love playing and competing with the Philippine team… I think it’s a really fun environment, and I love being with the team, especially this last SEA Games in December,” Eala told reporters after her heartbreaking three-set loss to Iva Jovic in the third round of the US Open on Sunday. “It’s such a great time, and I think they’re really memories that stick with me, and you know, the Asian Games happens once every four years… I just found myself drawn to competing in that side.”
Of note, Alex Eala has had considerable success competing for the Philippines, having won two bronze medals in her previous Asiad stint in Hangzhou and six medals total—one gold, five bronze—in two SEA Games campaigns (2021 and 2025).
Alex Eala Has a Path to Gold—and the Olympics in 2028
Given her current form, Alex Eala should be one of the favorites in women’s singles in the Asian Games. The Filipina ace has had a banner season after breaking out in 2025, and she is coming to the continental showpiece with considerable momentum after winning her first WTA-level title in July, making a scintillating run in Wimbledon, and making it to the third round of the US Open.
Additionally, it’s increasingly likely that Eala’s biggest roadblocks to a gold medal will not be competing in the Asian Games. China’s Zheng Qinwen, the defending champion in women’s singles, was already ruled out in June, while two other potential gold medal hopefuls in Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina and Japan’s Naomi Osaka are also unlikely to join.
That could leave Eala as the top contender in women’s singles, with China’s Wang Xinyu and Indonesia’s Janice Tjen as her closest rivals in terms of recent form and talent. In other words, there is a clear path to gold for Alex Eala, who could seal a berth in the Olympics as well with a golden finish in Nagoya.
Meaning, fun times really might be in store for Alex Eala and Team Philippines.
