Alex Eala: Philippines’ smash hit on path toward tennis stardom
Filipino ace Alex Eala continues to put the Philippines on the tennis map. –ART/MARLO CUETO
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala is once again making headlines for the Philippines as she writes another Cinderella story in the world of tennis.
The homegrown Filipino tennis star has been turning heads in Miami after taking down three highly-ranked female tennis players in a row–including the world No. 2–en route to her first-ever Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 semifinals appearance.
READ: Alex Eala ‘excited’ to chase more goals in 2025
Currently ranked 140 in the world, Eala is the youngest player in the 2025 Miami Open’s elite eight, which features Grand Slam winners and Olympic champions.
Before earning the attention of the world, she has been a source of pride for the Philippines for the past seven years since she started to carry the flag on the international stage.
Alex Eala the tennis prodigy
TEN-YEAR old Alex Eala prepares to serve in girls 16-under match of Andrada Cup at RMTC.
At age 12, Alex Eala created a name for herself after ruling the 2018 Les Petit As. The following year, she moved to Mallorca, Spain, to start her training at Rafael Nadal Academy.
In her recent interview, Eala admitted that starting her tennis journey hasn’t been easy. She had to train exclusively abroad to get access to top-notch programs and tournaments that are not readily available in the basketball-crazy Philippines.
READ: ‘Slam slayer’ Alex Eala gives young Filipino tennis hopefuls a reluctant hero worth emulating
“Growing up, it was tough,” an emotional Eala said. “You didn’t have anyone from where you’re from to pave the way. Of course, you had many people to look up to around the world, but I think—I hope this takes Filipino tennis to the next step.”
Eala has been backed by ever-supportive family every step of the way in her overseas journey.
READ: Emotional Alex Eala credits family for rise up WTA ranks
The Filipino tennis prodigy is the daughter of Mike and former national swimming team star Rizza Maniego-Eala, who won a 1985 Southeast Asian Games bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke.
Her brother Miko is also a tennis athlete and played for Pennsylvania State University.
Known as a family-oriented athlete, Eala offered her recent Miami Open victory to her family and gave a shoutout to her parents in the on-court victory.
Philippines’ first Grand Slam winner
Alex Eala of Philippines celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Lucie Havlickova of Czech Republic during their Junior Girl’s Singles Final of the 2022 US Open. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
While she’s now trying to make a name in the women’s division, Alex Eala made her mark in the girls division by being the first Filipino to rule a singles Grand Slam tournament.
Eala ruled the 2022 US Open girls after beating No.2 seed Lucie Havlickova in the final at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
READ: Alex Eala wins US Open girls crown, first Filipino to capture singles Grand Slam
She was a former No.2 in the junior rankings after reaching the semifinals of the 2020 French Open.
Eala is also a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion after winning the 2020 Australian Open girls’ doubles with Priska Nugroho of Indonesia and the 2021 French Open with Oksana Selekhmeteva of Russia.
Eala said that her ultimate goal is to win a grand slam title as a pro, and her recent run in Miami is proof that she can hang with the big names in women’s tennis.
“I think every single player here has envisioned themself as a successful tennis player. This is the goal to do well on the WTA tour and the end goal is to win slams, to get the rankings, and I think this is a good step towards where I want to be,” said Eala during her interview after upsetting World No.5 Madison Keys.
“It’s a big thing to take in and I feel it’s important for me to take it in step by step. I’m super proud of what I’m able to accomplish but it definitely fuels me more.”
Alex Eala’s national team stints
Philippines’ Alex Eala poses with her bronze medal during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Singles in the Hangzhou Asian Games on September 29, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
While Alex Eala may already be representing the country through her stints in the WTA and International Tennis Federation tours, but wearing the Philippine team colors remain an ultimate honor for her.
She made her Southeast Asian Games debut in the 31st edition in Vietnam two years ago where she racked up three bronze medals.
READ: Alex Eala gets bronze in Asian Games debut
Eala, as a 16-year-old, settled for bronze in the singles division, another bronze in the mixed doubles with Treat Huey and one as part of the women’s team event.
In the 2023 Asian Games, Eala also suited up for the Philippines and brought home two bronze medals.
She delivered the country’s first Asian Games medal since 2006 despite falling to Zheng Qinwen of China in the semifinal.
Eala also earned a podium finish in the mixed doubles with Francis Alcantara.
Jumping into the pro circuit
FILE–Alex Eala. Thailand ITF World Tennis Tour Photo
Alex Eala decided to turn pro four years ago and has now won five ITF singles and three doubles title since her leap.
The young Filipino netter won her first ITF singles title in the 2021 W15 Manacor in Spain followed by another one in the 2022 W25 Chiang Rai in Thailand.
In 2023, Eala won a pair of ITF championships in W25 Yecla in Spain and W25 Roehampton in the United Kingdom. Her latest ITF singles’ run was in W100 Open Araba en Femenino in Spain last year.
The doubles ITF titles may have been elusive in her early years, but in 2024, Eala won three: W50 Pune in India, W75 Open de Seine-et-Marne in France, and W100 in Spain.
But An appearance in the main draw of the women’s Grand Slams tournaments remain elusive for Eala.
Eala appeared in several Australian Open qualifiers in the past three years but has yet to overcome the first round of qualifiers.
In last year’s Wimbledon, US Open, and French Open qualifiers, she came within a game away from reaching the main draw, but fell short.
Eala has a career-high ranking in the WTA at World No.138, which she is expected to surpass after this dream run in the Miami Open.
Alex Eala’s dream Miami Open run
Alex Eala turns emotional after stunning 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko to advance to the Miami Open Round of 32.–Photo from the Tennis Channel
Alex made her WTA 1000 debut in the Miami Open in 2021, losing to Viktoria Kuzmova as a wildcard entry.
Now, her career has come full circle at 19, becoming the first Filipino to take down top 10 players since the WTA Tour rankings for women’s tennis were published in 1975.
Eala opened her Miami Open tilt with her first main draw win after taking down World No.73 Katie Voleynets, 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the Round of 128.
READ: Alex Eala advances to Miami Open quarters after Paula Badosa withdraws
She stunned World No. 25 and 2017 French Open champion Jeļena Ostapenko of Latvia with a 7-6 (2), 7-5 triumph to continue her dream run.
The followed it up with an upset of the WTA No. 5 Madison Keys in the Round of 32, before walking off to the quarterfinals.
And in the biggest match of her life, she continued her historic run by taking down five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 7-5, to advance to Miami Open semifinals.
READ: Iga Swiatek faces Alex Eala in 2025 Miami Open quarterfinals
Swiatek was a guest of honor during Eala’s graduation ceremony at Rafa Nadal Academy two years ago.
Eala is among the youngest of the players in the Elite Eight, which also features Aryna Sabalenka, Qinwen Zheng, Jasmine Paolini, Magda Linette, Emma Raducanu and Jessica Pegula.
In the semifinal, the Filipino pushed World No.4 Jessica Pegula to her limits before falling short with a 6(3)-7, 7-5, 3-6 result as her dream run in Miami ended.
She showed resiliency recovering from a tough first set loss, where she squandered a 5-2 lead before absorbing her maiden set defeat in this year’s tournament, and playing through a hurt left ankle to force a decider.
Tied at 3-3 in the third, Pegula got the better of the Filipino prodigy, to win three straight games and end the latter’s Cinderella run.
Eala’s Miami Open may have ended but her legend is just getting started after making history as the second wild card to get three consecutive wins over Grand Slam champions at a single WTA event and tied the best result achieved by a wild card in the Miami Open since the tournament’s inception in 1985.
The Filipino ace is expected to rise to WTA’s top 100 and will likely be invited to Grand Slam main draw tournaments.
