The greatest lessons Alex Eala had to learn (and unlearn) to win
She started playing tennis at four. Now at 21, Alex Eala possesses both the sharp, tactical strategy of an athlete and the resilient, unstoppable bloom of a sampaguita flower.
For many, Alex is a national icon—a trailblazer who proudly raises the Filipino flag on the global stage. Following her historic run at Wimbledon, she has solidified her status as a symbol of inspiration for a new generation of dreamers and tennis players. Yet, behind that is a young woman who has had to master her own mind before mastering the court.
When Alex reflected on her journey, she thought of her younger self. "I don't think she would be very surprised [to see me now]," Alex said during the Play Mind Games with Alex Eala event with Nike on July 13. "One, because she was a big dreamer, and second, because she also had no idea what it took to get here... But what I would tell her is that it's so much better than she could have ever imagined."
Living out those dreams, however, requires a level of mental fortitude that is built slowly. This grit was on full display during her highly publicized encounters with elite players, including Poland's Iga Swiatek. Facing the world's best players has forced the World's No. 28 to develop an unwavering dialogue with herself.
"Before I walk out on court, there’s a certain mentality that I found to have or I guess players have to have, and that mentality is: 'I can beat anybody,'" Alex explained to the audience at Nike The Fort. "You have to go onto the court and believe that you can win because otherwise, what are you doing there? Are you there to just play? But in the same sense, it goes vice versa. You have to remember that anybody can beat you."
Building an 'inner rock'
Admittedly, Alex had to face the darker sides of sports, too. For a time, she had to battle the instinct to tie her personal value to her scoreboard performance.
"One thing I've had to unlearn is detaching or not allowing self-worth to correlate with the results," she admitted. "I think that is something a little toxic, but it's also something that's a little natural in the field that I'm at."
I know that I'm on a lot of international stages, and I'm the only Filipina in a lot of those settings. So, I try my best to showcase the best of us Filipinos, and hope for the best.
Part of that unlearning meant breaking free from the trap of comparison, an exhausting hurdle for any young individual. She said, "You put a teenage girl in a setting that's already professional and so demanding, you can imagine what that's like... But that’s a process that I've had to go through, and it has a lot to do with self-esteem and self-confidence."
Even with her laser-like focus, Alex admitted that overthinking is an unavoidable battle on the court. Her secret to managing the pressure isn't stopping the doubts from creeping in, but refusing to let them linger. She said, before any match, she writes a game plan and pointers to remember in her notebook.
She also said that she doesn't let a bad serve or a loss ruin her day as she knows her capabilities and is "confident in the mentality that I have."
"I know I did everything that I could during that specific match, and people don't know the what happened to lead up to that match. They never know the full story," she said.
Having weathered the pressure, the young Filipina has emerged with a sense of self that no opponent can shake. "Now it's like a rock, guys. I'm happy to say that I love myself, I'm not comparing to anyone else—and I wish that on every little girl and every woman."
Beyond the physical and technical drills, Alex also credited her parents for cultivating the emotional foundation required to survive the grueling tour. They granted her the space to navigate the frustrations of a professional athlete, while keeping her firmly grounded.
"They never tolerated bad behavior on court, or parang nagdadabog," Alex shared. "I think a huge part of my mental fortitude comes from the values that they instilled in my brother and I growing up, and the routines. They really pushed us, [and] they had a great balance of everything."
Inspiring a nation
For a milestone as historic as Alex's, the impact resonates deeply with Filipinos everywhere. Her contributions have not gone unnoticed; she was recently conferred a presidential citation by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Yet, despite the state honors and global accolades, she remains remarkably grounded.
"Sometimes it's hard to take myself that seriously, and I'm happy that I have a positive impact on the community here," said Alex. "I'm so, so proud to be Pinoy, and I think that's one thing that I share with everybody—the love of being Pinoy and the pride of being Pinoy. I know that I'm on a lot of international stages, and I'm the only Filipina in a lot of those settings. So, I try my best to showcase the best of us Filipinos, and hope for the best."
During one of her recent matches, Alex sported a white Nike visor with an embroidered Filipino phrase that reads “Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto.” For her, the mantra brings a grounded sense of hope—one that serves not only a grand purpose, but provides strength for ordinary, tough days.
"It has a hopeful aura to it, and and I think that's that's you know it's just what people need—not in a big deep sense, national sense. But sometimes life is tough, and sometimes life knocks you down. And the dreams and the hope of achieving your dreams is what keeps you going. And you know, whether it be you, I think everybody deserves to dream big, and everybody has the right to go for the dreams they have," she said.