AS Alex Eala continues to reach for her dreams in a professional tennis circuit where she hopes to be a champion someday, two persons who have made great sacrifices to get her this far continue to stay in the background, largely unnoticed.
They prefer it that way.
Eala’s mom, Rizza is a high-ranking finance executive at Globe Telecom. Her dad Mike runs businesses in the Philippines. But both find the time to be with their daughter in most tournaments she plays across the globe.
READ Before the big crowds, Alex Eala always had bro Miko by her side
But why?
Eala’s dad stressed that Alex, 20, is still young and needs all the help and support from her parents as she navigates the career of a professional tennis player.
“Let’s face it. It’s not a normal situation for her to be so involved in sports at such a young age and at this level,” the elder Eala tells SPIN.ph in a short chat at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok where Alex served as the Philippines’ flagbearer at the opening rites of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.
“So, with me and my wife around, it’s like giving her some normalcy in her life, so that’s why."
It's a great sacrifice in the eyes of many; but it was an easy decision to make for the couple.
"It's almost hard to call it a sacrifice because we enjoy every minute being with Alex," says the Eala patriarch. "Every sporting parent will tell you there are certain things you need to commit to, to achiever bigger goals."
The family has been doing this for quite a while. At age 8, Eala with his brother Miko have enjoyed their parents' full support as they pursued tennis careers. Eala was enrolled in Spain as a scholar at the famed Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy, which is said to charge an annual tuition fee of $60,000 or atleast $2,000 per session.
Alex entered the former world No. 1's academy in 2018 at age 13 and graduated in 2023.
Mike Eala admits that there were times when the family felt the weight of their decision to take this path, But he stresses that there's no better feeling than seeing your kids grow and go for their dreams.
“In any sport, to compete internationally, you have to travel a lot. So, travelling a lot and training overseas costs a lot. We are lucky enough that we have some sponsors along the way to help us with the expenses,” he says while rattling off Globe and Bank of the Philippine Islands as his daughter’s major backers.
“We set priorities and we try to manage the priorities kung saan tayo makakausad.”
And now that Alex is ranked No. 52 in the world and one of the fastest-rising tennis players in the world with winnings of close to a million dollars across 27 tournaments, will returning to their old lives be an option for the couple?
“Alex is a priority for us as a family, so we’re doing very well. Every sporting parent would understand that there are certain things that you need to commit to, to be able to achieve bigger goals,” he says.
“The bigger the goal, the more commitment, the more sacrifice you need to give up,” adds Eala, who won her first WTA 125 event in Guadalajara this season.
“We try to manage as best as we can with Alex and we find reward in the everyday work that we put with Alex. We try to live a balanced life as much as we can.”
Appreciative Alex
As for Alex, her parents’ sacrifices do not go unnoticed.
“It’s very obvious that they’ve sacrificed a lot for me. You know that’s what parents do and I am lucky enough to have parents like them,” Eala says.
“Yeah, I mean they have sacrificed all they could have sacrificed for me. I wouldn’t be me without them, family, you know, we’re a part of each other. And I am just so blessed to be part of that,” she added.
So, what does she want to give in return for her parents efforts and sacrifices?
“The best thing I can give them in return, is of course, success. But more than results or anything like that is to be a genuinely good person,” adds Alex.
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