JUST as quickly as her life turned around, Alex Eala has become even more mindful of her steps as she navigates her phenomenal rise and growing influence.
Unlike several athletes who couldn't handle fame and success, the Filipina tennis ace has relied on her upbringing, personal discipline, and maturity — just a few of her most admirable qualities - to keep an even keel.
In less than a year and at just 21 years old, Eala has made her way into the Top 30 in the world with a career-high ranking of No. 28, and recorded a 7-4 win-loss record against Top 10 players across several tournaments, including Grand Slams.
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That journey unlocked milestones for Philippine sports, making her one of the country's most celebrated athletes, if not the most celebrated, over the past year.
After an impressive Wimbledon stint that ended in the Round of 16, Eala took the time to visit home, pay a courtesy call on the President, attend business engagements, spend time with her longtime backers BPI and Globe, and show up in fan events.
In one of her appearances, the eloquent Eala was, as always, generous enough to share her sentiments on any topic.
In one answer about "investment" during a press conference with BPI, Eala quietly revealed a perspective that explains her stability amid the fickle nature of the WTA rankings and everything about tennis.
"Invest in your future, that looks different to everybody," she said.
She didn't speak of luxury purchases or the typical rewards that often come with success. Instead, she spoke about investing in herself.
"I save, and make smart decisions before I buy luxury items, but on other things, I would splurge like recovery, physio, massages, nutrition, healthy things, supplements, doctor's appointments. If I have to make a long flight, I take business class. Those are the kinds of investments that I put on myself," she continued.
Eala, now in Washington for her hard-court debut at the Mubadala DC Open, showed she's embracing the principle of delayed gratification over simply satisfying the present — a pretty mature perspective for someone her age.
That philosophy mirrors her entire journey: at four years old, during the era of her "ruffled socks, light-up shoes, and chubby cheeks," leaving the country at 13, and dedicating her life to the sport without any guarantee of success.
Showing up day after day en route to where she is now, Eala also built a mentality that goes beyond the physical demands of the sport.
She shared: "Confidence is very important whether you're in the spotlight or not. Self-love is something you should nurture... I believe in myself a lot, that's one of the foundations of my mentality and how I approach life."
Confidence isn't just a reward or a morale boost; it's a nurtured mindset that has allowed her to stay balanced amid the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows in her young career.
But that, too, wasn't done on her own.
Criticism helps foster growth
"Having good people around you, the ones with your best interest at heart, that's also very important. They're the ones who you trust to tell you both good and bad things," she expounded.
Criticism, too, helps fosters growth more than fleeting validation ever could.
And at just 21, Eala has proven that her greatest investment is on herself and in the person she's continuously building - one mindful moment at a time.
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