There was a moment at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on Saturday where word got out that Alex Eala was spotted around the grounds of the tournament.

Main draw action hadn’t begun yet and the top players were busy practicing for the WTA 500-level event and fulfilling some of their media duties.

When Eala turned up to speak to the press, a crowd had already gathered behind the barricades, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Filipina young star in the making.

Fans of all ages packed the space between the main stadium and the outside courts, carrying ‘Let’s Go, Eala’ posters and calling her name.

It’s a scene that has become familiar to the 20-year-old lefty, whose popularity has exploded back home in the Philippines ever since she won the US Open junior title in 2022.

Her fans have tracked her progress to her current position among the world’s top-50 and come out in full force at tournaments across the globe.

In Australia last month, the Filipino community in Melbourne caused a traffic jam around the small Court 6 that played host to her first round against Alycia Parks.

It’s the kind of attention that can be difficult to handle at such an early stage in one’s career but Eala has remained focused on the task at hand, and feels grateful to receive so much love everywhere she goes.

“There was a lot of commotion in Australia about the attendance in my match,” Eala told The National ahead of her Abu Dhabi opener against Zeynep Sonmez on Monday.

“It was very unexpected for me, I’d never seen a line so long for my match, although I had played in a bigger court, so I don’t know how that compares. But either way it was such a great experience and it just goes to show how much tennis is growing in my country. I think that’s a reflection of it and I’m so proud of that.”

Eala made her Abu Dhabi debut in 2024, when she was ranked 187 in the world and awarded a wildcard into the tournament.

Back in the UAE capital two years later, the Rafa Nadal Academy player is at a career-high No 45 in the rankings and has earned her place in the draw on merit.

“It’s really nice because I’m here in a different spot than I was the last time I was here, which was two years ago. I’ve changed a lot, grown a lot and it’s nice to see the welcome that I’ve had,” said Eala.

“There’s a huge Filipino community here, so I’m so excited. They’ve come out and, if you look behind you, there’s a lot of people, so I’m so excited to play.”

The biggest moment in Eala’s career so far came last year at the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, where she stunned three Grand Slam champions, including two ranked in the top five – Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys – en route to the semi-finals.

That run catapulted her into the top 100, and a few months later, she reached her first tour-level final in Eastbourne and captured her first WTA 125 title in Guadalajara.

In between, her face has graced magazine covers and billboards in the Philippines and beyond.

A semi-final appearance in the opening week of this season in Auckland secured Eala’s top-50 debut and she says the key to wrapping her head around her rapid rise is continuing to put in the work.

“Obviously the Miami run was quite sudden, but after that, I took it step by step and nothing came really in a big wave,” she explains.

“So I eased into certain changes that came with being in the top 100 and I think it’s a similar story for the start of this season, with the people and just the exposure I’m getting.

“So I try to take it step by step. I try to remind myself that work is work and all of this wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t work hard.”

A philosophy like that is not hard to maintain when you call the Rafa Nadal Academy your home, and when you are able to come face to face with the Spanish legend himself at his training facility in Mallorca.

Nadal retired in November 2024. The first time the 22-time Grand Slam champion stepped on court for a hit was a year later for a practice session with Eala at the academy.

“It was crazy,” Eala says with a huge grin on her face.

“It was my first time ever hitting with him and I was so nervous and it was definitely physically demanding for me. I mean he was off court for like a year and I’ve been training strong and I feel like, man I was so far.

“But it was just such a great experience to really absorb all that knowledge. Just to say that you hit with Rafa, it’s insane, but I feel so lucky and so blessed.”

Of the many gems Eala has picked up from Nadal, one particularly stayed with her.

“Rafa says a lot in his speeches that it’s important to surround yourself with good people and I really think that this is such a great piece of advice. And he’s told me other stuff about my game, but that’s what stood out the most,” she says.

That practice with Nadal was a definite highlight for Eala, whose past 12 months have been an absolute roller coaster.

Another major moment for her came last week when she got to compete in the first-ever WTA 125 tournament in Manila, in front of her home crowd. Eala made it to the quarter-finals before flying over to Abu Dhabi, and she is still buzzing from what she witnessed in the Philippines.

“Just this week, the Philippines hosted its very first WTA event; that was a huge pinch-me moment for me,” she said.

“I felt like my two worlds were colliding because they were always somewhat separate, you know me being at home and me being on tour, and it was nice to have experienced time where they’ve come together and it was such a great event.

“I heard a lot of good feedback and I know it’s only the start, so that was a big pinch-me moment for me.”