Julia Christine Botin

Article (news)

Dyan Castillejo

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/1774330163371Tenny Madis 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipina tennis player Tenny Madis. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipina tennis player Tenny Madis. <em>Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- As Alex Eala continues to raise her level and her profile on the global stage, local players are feeling energized and inspired to pursue their own dreams.</p><p>Eala&#x27;s impact was already felt earlier this year with the successful staging of the WTA 125 Philippine Women&#x27;s Open in Manila.</p><p>This week, the first-ever Visayas Women&#x27;s Open will take place with a 16-woman draw in San Carlos City, where the champion is set to win P75,000. Tenny Madis is the No. 1, with Stefi Aludo as the No. 2 seed. </p><p>Both players were part of the Philippine national women&#x27;s squad that won bronze in the team event in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last December. Madis and Aludo also won bronze in doubles. </p><p>In January, they earned wild cards to the Philippine Women&#x27;s Open. And in the last few weeks, both Madis and Aludo accepted full scholarships to play for the University of Hawaii in NCAA Division 1.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/12/tenny-madis-joins-university-of-hawaii-tennis-team-2234">READ: Tenny Madis joins University of Hawaii tennis team</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/27/stefi-aludo-signs-with-university-of-hawaii-tennis-team-1257">READ: Stefi Aludo signs with University of Hawaii tennis team</a></div><p>For the pair, their recent exposure to high-level tennis -- particularly watching Eala&#x27;s rise to stardom on the WTA Tour -- has had a positive impact on their performances.</p><p>&quot;Pinaka-importante po, big impact po talaga &#x27;yun sa&#x27;kin, na mag-strive more in the future, na mag-train hard pa po. &#x27;Yung dedication po talaga na mag-training. &#x27;Yung training po talaga,&quot; the 19-year-old Madis said.</p><p>&quot;Big impact po sa akin, lalo na noong naglaro ako against the Japanese, sobrang galing po. Grabe learnings namin sa WTA,&quot; said Aludo, for her part. &quot;Marami po kaming natutunan on how silang mag-recover, paano silang mag-prepare before the match. Mas lalong nakakaano sa amin na to strive hard din po in the match and sa training.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/1/27/what-filipina-tennis-players-learned-from-the-philippine-women-s-open-2230">READ: What Filipina tennis players learned from the Philippine Women&#x27;s Open</a></div><p>Philippine Tennis Academy head coach Bobie Angelo noted that as Eala grew in popularity, so did the local bets who are now being recognized on their own right.</p><p>&quot;Si Tenny and Stefi naging popular. Dumami ang tagahanga. So yung kumpiyansa nila kahit paano, nagkaroon na sila ng confidence—star effect kahit konti lang. And then learning, we learn a lot sa strength, sa power,&quot; said Angelo.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON ATE ALEX</strong></div><div><strong><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/1774330213693Stefi Aludo 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipina tennis player Stefi Aludo. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipina tennis player Stefi Aludo. <em>Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></strong></div><p>In the past few weeks, Madis and Aludo have been training hard. But they have also been making time to watch Eala as she competed overseas, from her swing in the Middle East to Indian Wells, and most recently at the Miami Open where she reached the round-of-16 before losing to Czech Karolína Muchova.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/3/24/alex-eala-bows-out-of-miami-open-0012">READ: Alex Eala bows out of Miami Open in loss to Karolina Muchova</a></div><p>&quot;Nagpupuyat kami ngayon, nanonood kay Ate Alex,&quot; Aludo quipped.</p><p>&quot;Kami talaga … [nag-uusap] po talaga kami na &#x27;huwag ka muna matulog, manood tayo kay ate Alex.&#x27; Masupport tayo. &#x27;Come on, come on, come on,&#x27; ganun po. And super excited and happy po kami kay ate Alex,&quot; said Madis, for her part.</p><p>Eala&#x27;s steady rise on the world stage has given the young Filipinas stronger self-belief and the drive to pursue bigger dreams. </p><p>&quot;Sa akin lalo na po, naka-experience ako makipag-practice sa kanya. Mas lalong na-boost yung confidence ko na mag-strive hard po talaga sa mga laro po tita. So yun po, sobrang happy and nakaka-inspire po talaga,&quot; Madis said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/2/19/ph-s-tenny-madis-eyes-growth-as-she-joins-university-of-hawaii-1653">READ: PH&#x27;s Tenny Madis eyes growth as she joins University of Hawaii</a></div><p>For the pair, what is most notable about their &quot;Ate Alex&quot; is her fighting spirit -- something she has repeatedly showcased at high-level tournaments.</p><p>&quot;Kahit ano mga kalaban, lalaban po talaga siya. So yun po yung natutunan namin at ginagawa po namin din sa tournament na kahit sino yung kalaban, lalaban po kami,&quot; said Aludo.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung fighting spirit po talaga ni Ate Alex… Buong puso po binibigay niya,&quot; added Madis. </p><p>Eala&#x27;s drive to win is clear to Angelo, a former Davis Cup player and SEA Games gold medalist.</p><p>&quot;Marami tayo nakita mga player pero pag nakita mo si Alex, iba talaga. Iba. May magic kay Alex. Pagpalo sa bola, for a backhand—iba pumalo. The way she hits the ball, yung mukha niya makikita mo. Yung reaction, yung spirit, yung emotion—grabe. I&#x27;m impressed. Wala akong masabi,&quot; the coach said. </p><p>While Eala may have exited the Miami Open after a straight sets defeat to Muchova, Angelo is confident that she will recover. The coach even has a bold prediction for the Filipina ace for the rest of the 2026 season.</p><p>&quot;Last year, sinasabi ko sa mga tao, si Alex, after one year, magiging top 20. Hindi biro. And right now, prediction ko kay Alex, I think mataas yung pakiramdam ko—mag-champion ng Grand Slam si Alex. I believe this year,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>As Alex Eala continues to raise her level and her profile on the global stage, local players are feeling energized and inspired to pursue their own dreams.</p>

As Alex Eala continues to raise her level and her profile on the global stage, local players are feeling energized and inspired to pursue their own dreams.

Eala's impact: Provincial tennis scene rises with Visayas Women's Open

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Eala's impact: Provincial tennis scene rises with Visayas Women's Open

Dyan Castillejo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 24, 2026 01:34 PM PHT

Read More:

abssports

tennis

Alex Eala

Visayas Women's Open

Tenny Madis

Stefi Aludo

Philippine Tennis Academy

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