Alex Eala is living that “Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto” mantra to the fullest.
Fresh off a historic campaign at Wimbledon, where she became the first Filipino in the Open Era to reach the second week of a Grand Slam, Eala now has her sights set on continuing what she started at the All-England Club in London.
“It is my best result in a Grand Slam. It’s a highlight of my career so far,” said Eala ahead of her “Play Mind Games” exclusive meet-and-greet at Nike Fort in Taguig. “I’m even more ambitious now, I’m even more hungry.”
A Mantra Embodied to the Fullest
To that point, the 21-year-old wunderkind lived up to the now iconic “Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto” mantra emblazoned on the white Nike visor she wore during her historic run at Wimbledon.
“I think the whole idea of, ‘Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto,’ resonates so well with this moment in my career. The seeds were planted, and more than correlating to results, it refers to the dreams that I have,” Eala explained.
Indeed, the seeds have been planted. They were planted a long time ago. Now, they are starting to sprout. And the little girl who used to have big dreams is starting to believe that those dreams can come true. She’s dreaming even bigger.
“I’ve always been an ambitious girl,” Eala pointed out. “I’ve always had big dreams, and now that I’ve gotten a glimpse of what it’s like to live them out, those dreams just keep on getting bigger and bigger.”
What’s Next for Alex Eala?
On Sunday, Alex Eala returned to the Philippines to a much-deserved hero’s welcome. But her trip back home is just a short detour to what figures to be a busy next couple of months.
Next on the docket for the Rafa Nadal Academy graduate is reportedly the WTA 500 Mubadala Open in Washington, D.C., which would open Eala’s season-ending hardcourt swing. She’s also set to compete at the WTA 1000 National Bank Open in Canada, where she’s received a first-round bye.
All roads ultimately will lead Alex Eala to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York City, for the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. Incidentally, the rising global star also made history in this major tournament, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a singles main-draw match in a Grand Slam.
Alex Eala has already proven she can win in a Grand Slam. A championship could be next.
