TAKE it from world no.3 Coco Gauff — media attention is part of the game, and Alex Eala is handling it just fine.
Despite an early singles exit at the Italian Open, the 19-year-old Filipina is projected to reach a new career-high ranking of world No. 64, according to the WTA live rankings.
While the official list has yet to update as of this writing, Eala is poised to rise again after spending just a week at No. 70.
READ: Coco Gauff - Alex Eala doubles partnership started by a DM on IG
She’s also into the round of 16 in the women’s doubles draw of the WTA 1000 Rome tournament — paired with the aformentioned Gauff, who has been nothing but supportive of the rising talent.
“There are ups and downs in the sport, but you realize that the media is there to kind of paint that story and make it more interesting. But that shouldn’t add pressure or anything like that. She [Eala] seems to be handling it super well,” the 21-year-old Gauff told Tennis.com.
While Eala is, in many ways, carrying the hopes of Philippine tennis — a nation still growing its global tennis presence — some netizens have criticized the media for putting undue pressure on her young shoulders.
Gauff’s perspective, however, offers a grounded reminder: attention and expectations are part of professional sports, and what matters most is how the athlete responds.
“She seems chill, she seems like she’s working hard. I don’t have any advice for her, just because she seems relaxed,” Gauff added.
Eala has been quietly earning praise for her composure and maturity on court. In past tournaments, she has displayed strong emotional control — rare for a teenager navigating the world stage.
Just last March, she shocked the tennis world at the Miami Open, pulling off upsets against top-tier names including Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Jelena Ostapenko — a breakout performance that thrust her further into the spotlight.
“The only thing I told her was that doubles helped me a lot in that space — having some time on court where it’s a little less stressful. So I encouraged her to play when she could,” Gauff shared.
Their on-court chemistry is already paying off. Eala and Gauff cruised through their opening match in Rome with a commanding win — a sign that this partnership may have more exciting moments ahead.
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