John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

Article (news)

Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1766033810512WhatsApp Image 2025-12-18 at 12.55.07 PM.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. <em>POC Media </em></span></span></span></div><p>Alex Eala stamped her class in the final match, beating home bet Mananchaya Sawangkaew, 6-1, 6-2, to end the Philippines&#x27; 26-year gold medal drought in the women&#x27;s tennis singles in the Southeast Asian Games on Thursday at the National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand.</p><p>Eala is now the first Filipina to win the gold since Maricris Fernandez in 1999 — only the third Pinay to achieve the same feat. She is also the first to advance in the gold medal match after Clarice Patrimonio at the 2017 edition of the biennial sporting meet, where the latter claimed the silver in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/12/16/seag-alex-eala-sweeps-thai-foe-advances-to-gold-medal-match-1420"><strong>READ: SEAG: Alex Eala ousts Thai foe, advances to gold medal match</strong></a></div><p>The world No. 53 Eala, after a slow start, stormed back in Game 1 after seeing a 0-40 deficit, stealing the frame from the lower-ranked Thai foe.</p><p>Despite the 137th-ranked Mananchaya&#x27;s fightback in Game 4, getting on board at 3-1, Eala cruised her way to a 6-1 win in the opening set.</p><div>The hometown hero posed a threat to the Filipina, tying the match at 2-2 in Set 2, but Eala made sure no upsets will be dealt as she dominated the next games en route to the victory.<br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FE9pK7MS1Lo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Alex Eala makes history for the Philippines! #2025SEAGames </p>

Alex Eala makes history for the Philippines! #2025SEAGames

SEA Games: Alex Eala dominates Thai foe, nets PH's first women's singles gold in 26 years

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SEA Games: Alex Eala dominates Thai foe, nets PH's first women's singles gold in 26 years

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 18, 2025 12:47 PM PHT

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Updated December 18, 2025 03:31 PM PHT

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abssports

Alex Eala

tennis

Southeast Asian Games

SEA Games 2025

women's tennis singles

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