ONE year ago, Alex Eala was talking about Maria Sharapova. Today, Sharapova is talking about her.
In her July 2025 homecoming, Alex Eala was asked the familiar question of who she looked up to growing up. Her answer came without hesitation --Maria Sharapova.
READ: Greetings from President, idol Maria, King mark Eala breakthrough
For Eala, she embodied the mentality, presence, and competitive fire she wanted to emulate as a young girl dreaming of one day making it herself.
Fast forward July 2026, that admiration has come full circle.
After Eala stunned defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek in the third round of this year's Championships, Sharapova was among the tennis greats who took notice, leaving a simple but telling two-word reaction on social media: "A star."
For most players, it was just another celebrity comment. For Eala, it meant much more.
"Maria is my childhood idol, someone I looked up to a lot when I was very young," Eala told SPIN.ph Tuesday during her long-time backer BPI's mini press conference.
"I think if I ever meet her, I will be starstruck. And the fact that she's commenting on my post means she knows who I am, so that's a win. I'll take it."
The Filipina has since become the country's first Grand Slam fourth-round finisher, defeated multiple Grand Slam champions, and climbed to a career-high world No. 28.
Her rise didn't just make noise, it echoed loudly enough to reach the childhood hero she once admired from afar to call her 'a star.'
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