Camille Naredo

Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala receives a warm welcome in her return to the Philippines on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Handout/Presidential Communications Office

Article (news)

ALEX EALA

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><strong></strong><strong></strong></div><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/1783839417424HNAaU5EaoAAKbrb.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala receives a warm welcome in her return to the Philippines on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Handout/Presidential Communications Office"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala receives a warm welcome in her return to the Philippines on Sunday, July 12, 2026. <em>Handout/Presidential Communications Office</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A hero&#x27;s welcome greeted Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala upon her return to the Philippines on Sunday, following a historic run at Wimbledon. </p><p>Eala arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City before noon.</p><p>The 21-year-old tennis star was welcomed by top sports officials Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio, Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham &quot;Bambol&quot; Tolentino and PHILTA Secretary General John Rey Tiangco. </p><p>Eala was all smiles when she walked into the international arrivals area, greeted by performing arts group Banda Kawayan ng Pilipinas and a welcome message on the LED screen. </p><div><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:514px;height:673px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2076159920572129668&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-07-12T06%3A23%3A18.231872%3A8bbed6bb-279c-4c40-8869-fc78eda6b221%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=53a581b658019fc219bfb25bd477b20a367961db&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="2076159920572129668"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>She even stopped for a brief moment to take in the welcome festivities prepared for her homecoming. </p><p>Fans were also cheering loudly and congratulating Eala while she was walking out of NAIA Terminal 3. </p><p>The Filipina tennis star signed tennis balls and interacted with youth from Navotas City and young athletes, who had Philippine flags and welcome messages and tarpualins in hand.</p><p>&quot;Maraming salamat po,&quot; Eala said when asked what her message is to the Filipino people.</p><p>The 21-year-old is coming off a historic run at Wimbledon where she achieved a lot of firsts, ending her journey in the Round of 16.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/7/6/tennis-alex-eala-s-wimbledon-campaign-ends-with-loss-to-italy-s-paolini-2300"><strong>Tennis: Alex Eala&#x27;s Wimbledon campaign ends with loss to Italy&#x27;s Paolini<br/></strong></a></div><p>Aside from spending time with her family and friends, Eala will be attending several brand events in Metro Manila this week.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jAwTGaeUWzs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>A hero's welcome greeted Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala upon her return to the Philippines on Sunday, following a historic run at Wimbledon.</p>

A hero's welcome greeted Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala upon her return to the Philippines on Sunday, following a historic run at Wimbledon.

Alex Eala returns home following historic Wimbledon Run

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Alex Eala returns home following historic Wimbledon Run

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 12, 2026 02:46 PM PHT

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Updated July 12, 2026 02:57 PM PHT

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Tennis

Alex Eala

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