FOR an athlete so young, Alex Eala handles defeat with remarkable grace, as seen from a heartbreaking finish to her historic run at the Miami Open about a week ago.
As the 19-year-old packed up to leave the hardcourt following her semifinal loss to Jessica Pegula, not a single ounce of dismay showed on her face — despite the three-set match stretching into the early hours of the morning in Florida.
Instead, Eala was all smiles as she looked up at the bleachers and waved to a section of fans proudly waving the Philippine flag.
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A week later, the Filipina teen sensation revealed that it took a while for the surreal moment to sink in.
“No, it’s not typical for me to be that upbeat after a loss,” Eala said on Tuesday in a virtual press conference hosted by her longtime backers Globe and BPI. “I blocked my emotions throughout the match, and it took me a while for them to come back.”
Having flown the Philippine flag for over a decade now, Eala said the level of Filipino support she witnessed during that match was unlike anything she had ever experienced.
“I lost, but I put up a good fight. I was just so proud. I was playing in Miami, against an American, but the stadium was full of Filipinos,” she shared. “I was just so happy I had somebody to share my achievements with.”
During her run as a wild card at the WTA 1000 event, she turned heads by pulling off back-to-back-to-back upsets — including wins over two Top 5 players — to reach the semifinals where she faced Pegula - just one match away from a finals clash with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Despite her matches beamed locally in ungodly hours, Eala quickly trended on social media — a testament to the tremendous following usually reserved for Olympic Games and basketball games, arguably the biggest sport in the Philippines.
Eala is over the moon
“The best thing about it is really the support — the Pinoys. I can’t find that kind of community elsewhere,” she continued.
And as much as she sees her career trajectory hitting unprecedented heights, the now world No. 75 can’t deny that she’s put her country on the radar — a journey comparable to EJ Obiena’s success in pole vaulting, where Filipinos rarely shine.
“It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that I’m a trailblazer. Anyone who wants to take inspiration from me is welcome, but that doesn’t mean I’m the only one they [Filipinos] can look up to. Like me, when I was a kid, I looked up to the likes of Maria Sharapova,” she said.
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As Eala returned to Mallorca, where she’s currently based, she’s eager than ever to put in the work for her upcoming tournaments on the WTA Tour — where her new ranking now qualifies her directly into main draws.
“At this level, any step forward counts. I never expected that a month ago I’d be here. I’m proud of myself," Eala said. "To be able to say that I’m in the Top 100, 75 — it feels surreal. [But] the work isn’t done. I have goals to look forward to.”
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