Grace, Grit, and Grand Slams: Redefining The Filipina Champion

ALEX EALA WENT FROM UNDER THE RADAR TO UNSTOPPABLE, SHOCKING THE WORLD WITH HER TRIUMPH OVER TOP-RANKED OPPONENTS AT THE 2025 MIAMI OPEN. HER BREAKOUT WIN WASN’T JUST A DISPLAY OF TALENT AND GRIT—IT RESHAPED THE GLOBAL IMAGE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FILIPINA ATHLETE.

Ranked just No. 140 entering the 2025 Miami Open, Alexandra “Alex” Eala made history as she stormed into the third round of a WTA 1000 event for the first time, defeating Katie Volynets and the 25th seed Jelena Ostapenko. She then stunned the tennis world by eliminating world No. 5 Madison Keys, her first-ever win against a top-10 opponent, marking a historic moment not just for the Philippines, but for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), whose rankings began in 1975.

Eala continued her fairytale run by defeating world No. 2 Iga Światek in straight sets, becoming the first player ranked outside the top 100 to reach the round of 16 at a WTA 1000 event. She advanced to her first WTA 1000 seminifnal after a walkover from Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals, joining Mary Joe Fernández and Danielle Collins as only the third player in WTA Tour history to reach her first quarterfinal and semifinal in the same event, and the first Filipina to do so.

Standing at 5’9”, Eala also became the first Filipino to break into the WTA top 100, reaching No. 75 in the world on March 31, 2025. Although she fell to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula in a three-set semifinal battle, Eala’s breakthrough in Miami not only cemented her status as one of women’s tennis’ rising stars but also redefined what Filipino athletes can achieve on the world stage.

TENNIS SENSATION ALEX EALA BEGAN PLAYING AT AGE 4, INSPIRED BY HER FAMILY AND COACHED BY HER GRANDFATHER. AT 12, SHE TRAINED AT THE RAFA NADAL ACADEMY IN SPAIN, WHERE HER TALENT SHONE AND BEGAN HER RISE AS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST YOUNG STARS IN TENNIS.

BORN CHAMPION

Born on May 23, 2005, Eala picked up a tennis racket at just four years old. Athleticism and discipline run deep in her family: her mother, Rosemarie “Rizza” Maniego-Eala, was a bronze medalist in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games, while her brother, Michael “Miko” Eala, played collegiate tennis for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 2020 to 2024. Although her father, Michael “Mike” Eala, was not an athlete, her uncle Noli Eala served as chairman of both the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Basketball Association. Eala credits much of her early development to her maternal grandfather, the late Roberto “Bobby” Maniego, who coached her for a decade.

Her journey to tennis stardom began in earnest at age 12, when she moved to Mallorca, Spain in 2018 to join the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy on scholarship. Founded by tennis icon Rafael Nadal, the academy is known for producing elite-level athletes—and it was there that Eala sharpened her technique, toughness, and competitive fire. That same year, she claimed a major junior victory at the 14-and-under Les Petits As tournament, defeating Linda Nosková. In 2019, she made her junior Grand Slam debut at the US Open and was later named Milo Junior Athlete of the Year, signaling the rise of a new tennis prodigy from the Philippines.

CONQUERING COURTS IN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Eala etched her name in history in September 2022, becoming the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles title and the only one to clinch multiple junior major titles. She defeated No. 2 seed Lucie Havlíčková of the Czech Republic in the girls’ singles final of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York—a defining moment for Philippine tennis.

Her success in singles at the junior Grand Slam level is marked by strong performances across all four majors. Eala reached the third round of the Australian Open in 2020 and made a deep run to the semifinals of the French Open the same year. In 2021, she advanced to the second round at Wimbledon, and by 2022, she became the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles title. She has since gone on to defeat top-five players and Grand Slam champions, becoming the first Filipina to reach a tour-level semifinal in the Open Era.

Eala also made waves in doubles. In 2020, she partnered with Priska Madelyn Nugroho to win the Australian Open girls’ doubles title. A year later, she claimed her second major, winning the French Open girls’ doubles with Oksana Selekhmeteva after defeating Maria Bondarenko and Amarissa Kiara Tóth in  the final. She also reached the semifinals of the 2021 US Open with Belgian Hanne Vandewinkel and the second round of Wimbledon with Nugroho.

Eala officially turned professional in 2020, even while competing in the junior circuit. A left-hander with a fierce two handed backhand, she is known for her solid baseline game, swift court awareness, and adaptability across all surfaces: clay, grass, and hard court. This made her one of the most promising young players on the global tennis stage.

EALA IS ONLY 19 YEARS OLD, AND HER HISTORIC DEBUT AT THE 2025 MIAMI OPEN IS JUST THE BEGINNING. HER VICTORIES WERE NOT ONLY IMPRESSIVE AND CEMENTED HER PLACE IN THE SPORT'S ELITE, BUT ALSO SERVED AS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR FILIPINOS.

CLIMBING THE WTA RANKINGS

Her pro level started in March 2020 with a victory in her very f irst match at a professional tournament, the ITF Women’s Circuit in Monastir, Tunisia. She became part of the world’s top 1,000 players in the WTA rankings when she won the first leg of the Manacor event in Spain in January 2021. In August of that same year, she received a wildcard to play her maiden WTA main-draw match at the 2021 Winners Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She defeated her opponent in straight sets in her first match, but she lost to another opponent in the second round, also in straight sets. She made her WTA 1000 debut at the 2022 Miami Open after getting a wildcard, but she lost in the first round. Eala was the Philippines’ representative at the 2021 SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, but it was postponed to May 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She got bronze in each of the three events: two doubles and one singles.

In 2023, Eala competed in her first Australian Open qualifying round, but she lost in her first match. She made it to the Thailand Open but also lost in the first round. She earned wildcard slots for the main events in both the 2023 Miami and Madrid Opens. She reached the top 200 in August 2023, and in the next month, she rose to world No. 191. She played in the Asian Games and won two bronze medals, one each for women’s singles and mixed doubles.

She kicked off her 2024 season at the Canberra Tennis International, where she played doubles with a Brazilian player, but they were defeated in the semifinals by an Australian pair in straight sets. She again received wildcards for the 2024 Miami and US Opens. She surprised former world No. 5 Sara Errani during the first round, winning in straight sets, and tried to win the second round but lost to Emiliana Arango due to cramps. She won her first WTA 1000 over Lesia Tsurenko in the Madrid Open but lost in three sets against 27th seed Sorana Cirstea.

Eala defeated Ma Yexin of China and Taylah Preston of Australia in the qualifying rounds of the 2024 French Open but lost to Julia Riera of Argentina in the final round. She was able to reach the qualifying match in the Wimbledon Championships but lost to Lulu Sun, the eventual quarterfinalist. She won in both singles and doubles in the W100 tournament, the 2023 Open Araba en Femenino. She won and woved up to world No. 143 in singles and No. 208 in doubles with Estelle Cascino on July 22, 2024. She was able to play for the final qualifying round in the 2024 US Open qualifying event but lost to 20th seed Elena-Gabriela Ruse. She advanced to the main draw of the WTA 500 event in Guadalajara but lost in the first round to sixth seed Marie Bouzková.

A TRAILBLAZER

Eala is only 19, and her breakthrough in the 2025 Miami Open is just the start of her journey in making a place in history. Defeating world No. 5 Madison Keys and top seed Iga Świątek were not just remarkable victories that earned her a spot in the sport’s elite but also a source of pride for Filipinos, for she was the first Filipino player ever to enter the WTA Top 100 at No. 75 and quickly rose to her highest at No. 70 (for now).

There will be more matches. Victories are not secured. However, it's undeniable that more than just her exceptional performance garnered attention. Her humility, work ethic, and maturity beyond her age made her earn global admiration. For these, she is regarded as a role model not only for Filipino women but also for the youth and all Filipinos, for she was able to maximize the platform of sports in elevating the Philippines’ national pride.