OF the many names that reached out to Alex Eala after her recent breakthrough, one stood out because it resonated on a deeply personal level.
In an interview with the WTA website, Eala, 19, shared that she felt “encouraged” to keep pushing forward after receiving a heartfelt message from US Open winner and former world No. 4 Bianca Andreescu.
The Canadian star reached out following Eala’s dream run at the Miami Open, where the 18-year-old stunned three top players — Jelena Ostapenko, Iga Swiatek, and Madison Keys — on her way to a historic semifinal finish.
READ Alex Eala out to prove upset of world No. 2 Swiatek is no fluke
Eala became only the second teenager to win her first two matches against WTA top-five opponents, following in the footsteps of Andreescu, who captured the US Open crown in 2019 at the age of 19.
“I feel like she’s been in a similar position, where she did really well, and she knows the struggles, of course,” said Eala, currently ranked No. 72 in the world.
And she’s right.
Andreescu, 24, has struggled with injuries and heightened expectations since that US Open breakthrough. In fact, her 6-2, 6-4 win over McCartney Kessler in the first round of the Madrid Open was her first of 2025.
From a high of world No. 4, she has slipped to No. 134 in the world. But that hasn't stopped her from supporting the next generation of players — something she wishes she herself had enjoyed in her pro career.
“I want to be honest — I didn’t have anybody reach out to me. Nobody was friendly with me on the tour, no one would say hi to me,” Andreescu told The National on Thursday. “I told myself, I don’t want the next generation to feel that way.”
Though they have yet to play each other, the two first crossed paths in Thailand around two years ago.
At the time, Eala was still transitioning from the ITF circuit to the WTA Tour.
“I remember watching her play and thinking, ‘She’s going to be good,’” Andreescu recalled. “She’s a really good person, too.”
Since then, Andreescu has kept a close eye on the Filipina’s progress.
“It’s a competitive environment, but at the same time, we — women — are the only ones who really understand each other,” she said. “I reached out, and she knows she can come to me. I’m here if they ever want to talk, and we do keep in touch.”
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