‘Our new champion’: Philippines swept up in tennis fever after Alex Eala’s historic win
Summary
Alex Eala, a 21-year-old tennis player from the Philippines, won her country’s first WTA Tour-level singles title by beating top-ranked player Jessica Pegula in Washington DC. Her victory has sparked widespread interest in tennis in the Philippines, with President Ferdinand Marcos and other sports figures praising her achievement.Key Facts
- Alex Eala is the first Filipino to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour-level singles title.
- She won by coming back from behind in a rain-delayed match against Jessica Pegula.
- President Ferdinand Marcos congratulated Eala and hosted a reception in her honor.
- Eala previously made history by advancing far at Wimbledon and beating defending champion Iga Swiatek.
- Her success has increased public interest in tennis across the Philippines, filling courts and tennis camps.
- Tennis has been less popular compared to basketball, billiards, and boxing in the Philippines.
- Eala trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain on a scholarship after starting on painted basketball courts in Manila.
- Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao praised Eala’s win as showing the “Filipino heart.”
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