Alexandra Eala’s emergence as a top-tier talent on the WTA Tour has created a wave of inspiration among her Filipino fan base. It’s one of the most uplifting elements of her rocket rise into the WTA’s Top 30 (she’s at a career-high No.28 in the live rankings after today’s win over Iga Swiatek).
Eala isn’t just winning matches on an island, she’s winning them for an island, and in the process raising the hopes of a nation about what is possible for them.
She reflected on her role as an ambassador after Saturday’s stunning win on Centre Court.
“It’s an honor to be able to pave the way for young girls,” she said after becoming the first player from the Philippines to reach second week of a major. “It would be the honor of my life to be able to inspire others. I think inspiration is such a beautiful thing.
“Then again, I want to remind anybody that you can take inspiration from anywhere you want. Anywhere, anyone, if you want to be inspired, and if you’re inspired by it, it will just come to you.”
Eala is aware of how her tennis-crazed nation looks up to her and she is proud to be a role model. She takes energy from their passion, and gives it back in the form of achievements.
“I try to be as authentic as I can,” she said. “I believe in being genuine. I believe in my values. This exposure I guess or this platform that I have has really allowed me to self-reflect. It allows me to become the best version of myself, because I know that a lot of people look up to me.
“Then again, I think the main message here is that I don’t want them to look at me and say, ‘I want to be the next Alex Eala.’ I want them to look at me and say, ‘Wow, I want to be the first me. I want to make my own path.’”
Asked to comment on the spirit of the Phillipines, the Manila native said:
“I think we’re just very proud of where we come from. We have a really strong sense of community. You can see it when someone does well. We are a community that uplifts each other. We’re quite positive people. When positive things happen to other Filipinos around the world, we kind of share the enjoyment and share in the happiness.”
That said, Eala says she is focusing on herself and her team more than anything else. She aims to keep free of distractions as she chases down her personal goals. That’s how she stays grounded, in her bubble, focused on the tasks at hand.
“I think I’ve always thought about this as a personal journey for me,” she said. “Because although I’m very grateful and very welcoming of all the support that I get, I’m the one and my team is the one and my family is the one who have been putting in the hours. We’re the ones who are here at the courts 12 hours in a row. We’re the ones who wake up early, who come back home late.
“I think that day-to-day work and that work ethic is really what keeps me grounded and keeps me locked in. Then I guess the responsibility or the effects or the impact I have on other people and the inspiration that I can bring is a result of that work ethic.”
