Romwel Anzures

Colombian tennis player Camila Osorio face Alex Eala in the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. A major crowd drawer, Eala failed to reach the semifinals after losing to Osorio (4-6, 4-6). Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1771919941426IMG_0108.webp" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Filipina tennis player Alex Eala the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News"/>Filipina tennis player Alex Eala the WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila on January 29, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — Since her breakthrough run at last year’s Miami Open, Alex Eala has continued to make waves on the global tennis stage. </div>For the Filipina star, the mission now goes beyond personal milestones.The 20-year-old said her semifinal finish at the said 2025 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 tournament not only propelled her career to new heights but also strengthened her desire to help grow the sport further.“That has to be the highlight of my career so far,” Eala said during her appearance on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAPbwT74PZ8">The Sit-Down show of the Australian Open</a>. “That put me on the map, and everything just clicked right after that. When I look back at that moment, it was insane.”“Everything after Miami was a new experience. With that ranking — being in the Top 100 for the very first time — my eyes were wide open. Tennis has given me so much, so whatever I can do to give back to the sport, I’ll do the best that I can,” she added.Following her Miami campaign, Eala racked up a series of milestones in the past year. She cracked the Top 40 of the WTA rankings, clinched gold at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, and was also at the forefront of the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open, among other achievements.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/1/30/alex-eala-hopes-local-tennis-gets-a-boost-after-philippine-women-s-open-1310">READ: Alex Eala hopes local tennis gets a boost after Philippine Women&#x27;s Open</a></div>Her SEA Games triumph was historic, marking the Philippines’ first women’s singles gold in tennis in more than two decades.Beyond her own success, Eala said she has been encouraged by the rise of fellow Southeast Asian players on the international stage. She pointed to Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, and Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee as proof of the region’s growing strength in women’s tennis.“It’s so nice to see that in Southeast Asia, there are four women in the main draw from our region alone,” she said. “It’s such a great time for women’s sports and women’s tennis in our region, and I’m so happy to be a part of that.”Eala also emphasized how the level of competition in the SEA Games reflected the sport’s progress in the region.“I definitely felt that it was stronger this year than in past years,” she said. “Maybe I’m biased, but having four players in the main draw says a lot about the level of that tournament.”Now ranked World No. 31, Eala acknowledged that her rapid ascent comes with added pressure. Still, she chooses to see it as an opportunity as she pushes forward with her 2026 campaign and beyond.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/23/tennis-alex-eala-soars-to-new-career-best-no-31-in-wta-rankings-1309">READ: Alex Eala soars to new career-best No. 31 in WTA rankings</a></div>“It is my dream, and I am living out my dream,” she said. “There were so many challenges, but I look back at 2025 with so many positives.”“It comes with more pride. It depends on how you look at it, and I try to take it with as much gratitude as possible, because not a lot of players get to have this platform,” she added.Next up for Eala is the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells from March 4 to 15, followed by another stint at the Miami Open from March 17 to 29 — a chance not only to surpass last year’s semifinal finish but also to continue pushing the sport forward.“I just try to focus on what I need to do and how I can work to the best of my abilities,” she said.

Since her breakthrough run at last year’s Miami Open, Alex Eala has continued to make waves on the global tennis stage, but for the Filipina star, the mission now goes beyond personal milestones.

Since her breakthrough run at last year’s Miami Open, Alex Eala has continued to make waves on the global tennis stage, but for the Filipina star, the mission now goes beyond personal milestones.

Tennis: Alex Eala eyes bigger impact beyond meteoric rise

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Tennis: Alex Eala eyes bigger impact beyond meteoric rise

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 24, 2026 04:16 PM PHT

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