Alex Eala shared one of the biggest ways she’s already making a difference in tennis during this amazing season.
Alex Eala is having an amazing breakthrough season on the WTA Tour and is quickly becoming one of tennis’s brightest young stars. The 21-year-old from the Philippines recently won her first WTA 500 title at the Washington Open, beating world number three Jessica Pegula in a tough three-set final. This made her the first player from the Philippines to ever win a WTA Tour-level singles title.
Before that, she caught everyone’s attention at Wimbledon by reaching the fourth round, including a fantastic win over the defending champion Iga Swiatek. She finished 2025 ranked number 53, but this year, she’s playing even better and has climbed into the top 20.
Eala got incredible support at the Canadian Open earlier this month. Her opening match on Wednesday night sold out just hours after the schedule was announced. Even one of the vendors at the Toronto arena changed their food menu to celebrate her huge fan base from the Philippines. Belinda Bencic, who beat her in the fourth round, thanked the crowd in her interview, saying it was “very nice to play in front of you all.”
Other tennis stars like Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff have also praised Eala and the positive effect she’s having on the sport. Rennae Stubbs, a former world number one doubles player, said on her podcast that Eala will inspire many young kids to take up tennis. “There’s nothing more exciting than when she walks on the court,” Stubbs said. She shared that even players like Caty McNally have noticed the special atmosphere Eala brings, something rarely seen except maybe with legends like Serena Williams.
Eala is now getting ready for the Cincinnati Masters, where she’ll face Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse in her first match on Saturday. Some fans have worried about her busy schedule, since she also plays doubles. But top players have to compete in all 10 WTA 1000 events and at least six WTA 500 events each year, or they risk losing ranking points.
Her uncle, Noli, explained on Twitter that while people are concerned about her tough schedule, WTA rules require her to play many big tournaments, including Canada, Cincinnati, Beijing, and Wuhan, plus her commitments to the Philippines National Team. It’s all part of what comes with success.