Alex Eala on pressure: 'Nothing compared to what regular Filipinos face'

Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala believes that the pressure of being a top-ranked tennis player pales in comparison to the daily hardships of many Filipinos.

Eala won her first homecourt match at the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open on Jan. 26, beating Russia's Alina Charaeva 6-1, 6-2. In a post-match interview, the 20-year-old Pinay candidly weighed in on the pressure of having Filipinos watch her career and being the world's no. 49.

“Pressure is part of my job, and a lot of people ask me how I handle it. And of course, there’s added pressure playing at home,” she said.

"But it’s nothing compared to the pressures that everyday Filipinos have to face providing for their families. It’s nothing compared to what my parents have sacrificed to bring me here," she added, to the cheers of the Filipino audience.

Eala also shared how emotional it was to witness tennis gaining more attention in the country.

"I think it’s such a full-circle moment to see how far tennis has come in the Philippines,” she said. “I think playing matches and seeing my two worlds collide—being in Manila and the WTA Tour—is so full circle and so emotional for me because it’s allowed me to reflect on how far I’ve come."

In another interview with reporters, Eala said her Filipino fans inspire her to strive. "It's such an honor to have support and this community to rally behind me. So I do my best to give back to them through my tennis [and] through my hard work."

The young tennis star added that thinking of the ordinary person is the mindset she embodies to keep her humble. 

"What makes me feel small again and pulls me back to the ground is that the everyday person, not only Filipinos, everyone around the world has [their] struggles... I have so much to feel lucky for despite the struggles that come with my job."

The Philippine Women's Open, the country's first-ever WTA event, is taking place at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center until Jan. 31.