What Alex Eala taught my grandnephew in Washington, DC

Under the gentle Washington summer sun, tennis balls seemed to carry not merely speed but possibility, tracing bright yellow arcs that briefly stitched together dreams from opposite sides of the Pacific. 

As spectators quietly gathered around the practice courts, Harrison first rallied with defending champion Leylah Fernandez. Then came the experience he will treasure for years: sharing the court with our own Philippine tennis sensation, Alex Eala.

Then reality itself seemed eager to imitate dreams. In the days that followed, Eala defeated Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen before toppling defending champion Leylah Fernandez in a remarkable run that further elevated Philippine tennis. The very practice court where Harrison had shared a few precious rallies suddenly felt touched by history, as though that quiet morning had gently rehearsed what the world would soon witness.

Harrison, the son of my nephew Dr. Patterson Lee of Virginia and grandson of my late half-brother Joseph C. Lee and Julita Ong Lee, could scarcely contain his excitement. 

EALA on practice court hitting with Pinoy Harrison Lee . And Naomi just walked on next court #MudalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/Fl5Bq1vPtq

— Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) August 1, 2026

Later that day, ABS-CBN sports journalist and former tennis athlete Dyan Castillejo interviewed him and featured him in her online story and social media video.

“Unbelievable morning,” Harrison said with a broad smile. “I first practiced with Leylah Fernandez at 9 o’clock, then 10 o’clock I got to hit with Alex Eala for the first time, then right after I got to watch Leylah win.”

For tennis fans, it was an extraordinary morning. For Harrison, however, it became something even more enduring—a lesson in humility, excellence and grace.

The gift of representation

As a Filipino and Asian competing in American collegiate tennis, Harrison understands the importance of representation. The Virginia Beach native, an accounting major at James Madison University, compiled an impressive 15-4 singles record this season. Yet numbers tell only part of his story.

What mattered transcended rankings and statistics. Sometimes a brief encounter enlarges a young person’s horizon more than years of instruction. Seeing someone who shares your roots excel on the world’s biggest stages quietly expands the borders of your own imagination.

“That’s one of the first things I told Alex when I first met her—that it’s an honor to be a Filipino and get the chance to meet her, let alone play with her,” Harrison shared. “Everything she’s been doing has been very inspiring, especially for me, because I play a lot of tournaments myself. It was amazing.”

The measure of a champion

Harrison admired Eala’s remarkable skills, but what impressed him even more was her character. While she was defeating some of the world’s finest players—including Olympic champion Zheng and defending champion Fernandez—she remained gracious, approachable, and generous with her time.

“The way she hits the ball and her intensity,” he recalled. “I see it all the time watching her matches, but actually playing against her is another thing. It’s difficult. Very strong.”

Yet the deepest impression came not from the power of her groundstrokes, but from her kindness.

“She was so nice as well. She and her coach were very nice. They’d tell me to sit—they didn’t have to do that.”

Champions often reveal themselves before the trophies arrive. Character announces itself in whispers long before victory shouts its name.

Dreaming beyond boundaries

This is the Eala I have long admired—not only for her extraordinary talent, but also for her humility, discipline, professionalism and grace. Her victories over Zheng and Fernandez affirm that Filipinos can compete with—and defeat—the very best in the world.

More importantly, she reminds countless young people that true champions inspire not only by winning, but also by the values they embody.

Eala reminds us that destiny is never confined to the games a nation has traditionally loved. Basketball will always hold a special place in Filipino hearts, but I believe our youth should also dare to dream across tennis courts, football fields, swimming pools, athletics tracks, gymnastics arenas, golf courses, chessboards and countless other fields where perseverance, discipline and skill matter far more than stereotypes or physical advantage like height.

Lee’s own journey reflects that same spirit. From Virginia Beach to collegiate tennis and now to the practice courts of one of America’s premier tournaments, he represents a new generation of Filipinos and Asians unafraid to pursue less-traveled paths.

Watching my grandnephew share the court with Eala filled me with profound pride. Athletic gifts seem to ripple through our extended family alongside entrepreneurship and public service. Harrison is the cousin of PBA star Paul Lee, and the nephew of former three-time Junior World Golf Champion and current San Jose State University golfer Jed Dy, PBA player Ralph Cu, and newly-retired PBA veteran Sean Dee Anthony. Yet lineage wins no matches. On that Washington practice court, Harrison stood not beneath famous names but upon the quiet foundation of his own discipline, perseverance and love of the game.

After the practice session, Eala and her coach stayed behind to sign autographs and pose for photographs with fans gathered around the practice courts. They owed the crowd nothing, yet chose generosity over haste. That simple gesture may have inspired more dreams than any winning shot ever could.

Long after the final ball was struck, it seemed the court continued remembering their footsteps. Some places quietly keep the echoes of courage until another dreamer arrives to hear them.

Trophies tarnish. Rankings rise and fall. But whenever kindness accompanies greatness, time itself becomes an ally. Long after scoreboards fade into silence, hearts continue keeping the truest score.

History remembers the trophies champions lift. Humanity remembers the dreams they lift with them.