Alexandra Eala reached the third round of the women's singles at Wimbledon, the furthest any player from the Philippines has gone in a Grand Slam tournament. The 21-year-old's run has pulled Filipino fans into a sport that usually sits behind boxing and basketball.
Eala called the achievement personal as well as national. After her second-round win, she said, “For me to be able to represent the Philippines in Wimbledon, I guess, and in the biggest stages in the world, it means so much to me,” and added, “I have been working extremely hard. My team has been working extremely hard. I really feel that it's paying off. This win means a lot.”
Philippines And Wimbledon
Her second-round victory over Maya Joint got her there, and it carried extra weight because the result was the furthest any player from the Philippines had gone in a Grand Slam tournament. During the run, viewing parties and mainstream media coverage turned her matches into a national event.
That attention came with details that were hard to miss. Eala wore a white Nike sun visor etched with a Tagalog phrase that translates to once it grows, it cannot be stopped, and she also used a hair tie with a white ornament shaped like the sampaguita, or Philippine jasmine. She has also been steadily moving up the Women's Tennis Association rankings over the years.
Venus Williams and Manny Pacquiao
Venus Williams congratulated Eala for making history, while Manny Pacquiao said he was “so proud” of her and told her to “keep it up.” Mafae Yunon-Belasco also wrote, “Thank you for putting my first love tennis on the map and inspiring us all.”
Eala said, “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.” She also said, “It's an amazing thing for me to be able to do that for my country, but I guess it's also very emotional every time I'm able to pass a new step or break new ground, just because it's also personal goals and personal achievements.”
Iga Swiatek on Saturday
The next test is a hard one. Filipino fans were set to tune in on Saturday to see whether the 29th seed could beat defending champion Iga Swiatek, and Eala made clear she expected a fight from both sides.
“I think it's going to be tough for me. I'm going to try to make it tough for her, as well,” she said. “I'm expecting a great challenge. But I think I'm ready for it.”
