Alex Eala brings Filipino pride to Wimbledon with Tagalog message stitched on her visor
Alex Eala made sure to take the Philippines along on her historic Wimbledon run.
Eala posted on Instagram a close-up shot of the back strap of her white visor at the 2026 Wimbledon Open on Thursday, July 2. It read, "Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto." Her custom Nike visor served as the world-famous athlete's acknowledgement of her Filipino roots, as well as a promise to her fellow Pinoys of her determination to keep going.
The next image showed a sampaguita flower along with the message, "Every dream begins as a seed. Once it grows, it cannot be stopped. Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto."
In her post-match press conference after beating Maya Joint in the second round, Eala explained the significance of the sampaguita flower for her.
“I think it's so sentimental to be able to carry parts of my culture with me on court, because of course it's a huge reason as to who I am. I think where I come from is a big part of who I am and a big part of who I want to become in the future.”
Her affinity for sampaguita was not lost on sports brand Nike, of which Eala is a global ambassador. In February, ahead of her Indian Wells tournament, she stopped by the Nike headquarters in Oregon. Along with blown-up photos of her career highlights adorning the walls, there was a ping-pong table designed with images of a sampaguita flower as a tribute to Eala. The sports brand also presented her with a sampaguita-inspired shirt and hair tie.
In her impressive tennis journey, Eala has always taken the opportunity to shine a light on her heritage.
At post-match interviews, she likes to address her Filipino fans in Tagalog when given the chance. After defeating Sorana Cirstea at the 2026 Dubai Open in February, Eala thanked her fans for staying up late to watch her match.
"Salamat sa pagpuyat, mga kababayan. Uwi na tayo," she told the crowd.
In an interview with BBC Sport on July 2, Eala shared about how she loves representing the Philippines and its culture.
"It's so surreal to think that all of these people are so invested in my journey and I'm so thankful. Because I really do work hard, and I do my best to represent my country and the best of my country," she said. "Even if [my Filipino fans] don't love me per se, we have a shared love for our culture and our nation, and I think that's really beautiful."
Eala has brought her Pinoy pride off-court and into red-carpet events, as well.
At the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards in April in Madrid, Spain, Eala showed up in a cream Filipiniana gown designed by her uncle, fashion designer Rhett Eala.
Sharing about her fashion choice on Instagram, the tennis star wrote, "I doubt there are many pieces of clothing that make a Filipina feel more beautiful than a Filipiniana."
"For my first major red carpet appearance, at the Laureus Sports Awards, I chose to wear this look as a quiet nod to where I come from and what I carry when I step into rooms like those," she added. "There’s no one who could’ve brought this dress to life better than my Tito, @rhetteala. It’s an honor to wear one of your pieces Tito Rhett. Makes it even more special that there is a piece of family."
Eala is gearing up for her third singles match at the 2026 Wimbledon Open on July 4 against defending champion and six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatekafter. The Filipina previously defeated Mexico's Renata Zarazúa in the first round and Australia's Maya Joint in the second.
