Alex Eala: What to know about the tennis phenom making history on the court
Alexandra Eala continues to carve her name in tennis history.
Her performance at the Miami Open so far has been one for the books. The 19-year-old Filipina phenom became the first Filipina to beat a Top 10 opponent after she took down Australian champion Madison Keys on March 24. She made waves again days later as she conquered World No. 2 Iga Świątek in a monumental quarterfinal match.
In her post-match interview, Alex, still in disbelief, said, "I don't know what to say. I mean, complete just disbelief right now and I am on cloud nine."
For the semifinals, Alex is set to go up against World No. 4 Jessica Pegula, who toppled Britain's Emma Raducanu.
Before the tournament, the Filipina ranked 140th in the official Women's Tennis Association ranking. On March 27, she cracked the top 100 for the first time as she rose to 75th place in the live WTA ranking.
As Alex continues her blazing Miami Open run, let's get to know the rising Filipina tennis star making history on the court.
It runs in the blood
It's no surprise that Alex is into sports as she comes from a family of athletes.
Her mother, Rosemarie "Rizza" Maniego-Eala, was a part of the national swimming team. She made her mark as a bronze medalist in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games.
Alex is also the niece of Noli Eala, the chairperson of the Philippine Sports Commission and former commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Her brother, Michael "Miko" Francis Eala, also carved his own path in tennis, playing for the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions from 2020 to 2024.
Alex's journey with tennis began when she was just four years old. The sport became a way for her family to bond and share moments. At the time, her older brother was learning the game under the watchful eye of their grandfather.
Young Alex typically spent her days at the Valle Verde Country Club, observing her family on the court when she was still too small to hold a racket.
Little did she know, these early moments of simply watching would soon spark a passion that would drive her to the top of the tennis world.
"It's such a big part [of my life] and my identity too. I love it; that's why I still do it now. But I think it's already ingrained in who I am," Eala said in an interview with Tatler Asia.
At 13, Alex has been honing her skills at the renowned Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain—shaping her into the tennis prodigy we know today.
PH tennis history-maker
Even before the Miami Open, Alex has been bringing pride and honor to the Philippines.
In 2020, Alex achieved a remarkable milestone by winning her first Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open, partnering with Indonesia's Priska Madelyn Nugroho. This victory marked a historic moment for the Philippines, as it was the country's first Junior Grand Slam win since 2009.
Alex made waves again in 2021, capturing the French Open girls' doubles title alongside Russian partner Oksana Selekhmeteva.
The following year, she carved her name in history books as the first Filipino ever to win a singles title at the 2022 US Open Juniors.
The Rafa Nadal Academy scholar also secured a bronze medal in the 2023 Asian Games, ending the country's nearly two-decade drought since 2006.
When she was 15, she became the second Pinoy to reach the junior Grand Slam singles semifinals after Felix Barrientos, who achieved this milestone in 1985.
A lefty tennis player
In tennis, being left-handed is deemed an advantage as lefties can surprise opponents with angles and spins they might not expect.
Like tennis icon Nadal, Alex, too, is a lefty.
In case you didn't know, 23% of Wimbledon singles titles have been won by left-handed players, including Martina Navratilova, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe.
Her favorites
Outside the court, Alex previously told PhilSTAR L!fe in 2021 that she likes watching comedy movies or "stuff that is nothing complicated and easy to follow" so she can multitask while watching. She also loves to watch horror movies.
Specifically, her favorite show back then was Modern Family, with Gloria and Lily as her most-loved characters.
Like any Filipino, Alex loves rice and eats a lot of it at home. She also likes ice cream and milk tea.
An avid traveler
While Alex is making waves on the tennis courts worldwide, she also immerses herself in different cultures.
In an interview with The IdeaFirst Company's Dear Future Grandkids, Alex noted that most of her earnings go to her travels.
Singing a prayer is her superstition during a match
In the intense world of professional tennis, Alex finds comfort and focus through the power of music and prayer. When she wins a point, she often sings a phrase or a tune in her head.
"Sometimes in the matches, I'll be like in a double's match or during the singles match and I win a point singing this one phrase, the next point I will sing that one phrase in my head again. and then I'm going to hold that way. So it kind of looks superstitious," she said on Dear Future Grandkids.
When Alex was younger, her ritual had a more spiritual element. Instead of melodies, she would pray after scoring.
"I think I've always had that because when I was younger, it wasn't really songs. They were like prayers. Like I would say the Hail Mary, Our Father. If I win the point by singing like Hail Mary, then the next point, I'll sing the same prayer. or If I lose the point, the next point, I'll sing Our Father."
