Alexandra Eala is one of the names on the top of the tongues of most tennis fans. A meteoric rise in the sport has coincided with a whole nation passionately following every footstep. It is something that she has had to learn how to manage on and off the court, embracing the role while having to balance it out before it gets too overwhelming.

The world number 45 is back in action at the Stuttgart Open, taking on an out-of-form Leylah Fernandez. Ahead of her first round clash, she spoke to wtatennis.com as she described her excitement to get on court and compete.

“I’m enjoying it so much. This tournament is actually a tournament I’ve seen so much online. It’s crazy when you’re able to see something like on TV a lot, and you’re able to see it in person, it finishes the puzzle. It’s obviously a very prestigious tournament.”

Her pathway into tennis

“Tennis in my family,” Eala stated, reminiscing on her first footsteps into the sport. “I was coached by my grandfather for the first 10 years of my ‘career.’ From 3.5 to 13 (years old), it was him and I was training every day with my brother.”

It was a great way to get close to her family, whether it was training with her grandfather or travelling with her supportive parents. “He had also coached a couple of my older cousins, so it really started as a way for me to bond with him. Of course, my parents wanted – I think sports as an extracurricular teaches you a lot of stuff. My parents would come with me and we would compete internationally.”

She traversed across the globe hoping to get a major break, and then it came. When she was 13, her talent was recognised. “We started obviously in Asia, and then we would go to Europe as well. America. Then I guess a big opportunity came when I won Les Petit (2018). I went with my dad. We were just there and we won it and Rafa Nadal Academy reached out to me, so that was a big thing. I moved to Spain at 13.”

Dealing with popularity and fame on the court

One of the most popular tennis players on tour, Eala has the passionate backing of a full country on her side. The Philippines has gone tennis crazy since her incredible breakthrough in 2025. They have watched her every move since that Miami Open semi-final run, treating her with care through the ups and downs while regularly filling out stadiums all around the world when she is in action.

Still only 20-years-old, Eala is all very new to this. She has started to get used to life on the WTA Tour amid the attention and scrutiny always on her. “At this level, you’re very much – it does come with its struggles,” she admitted. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s a demanding job – but of course you’re treated very well, especially in individual sports, a lot of things are catered to you, and they have to be catered to you because that’s how you succeed.”

A regular phrase she says is a ‘spoonful of gratitude.’ She is very grateful for everything that has gone on in her tennis career so far, but acknowledges it can be quite overwhelming at times.

Alexandra Eala gets support wherever she plays

“In my case, there’s a lot of attention. There’s a lot of attention from the media, a lot of exposure to the fans,” she said. “I think sometimes it’s a lot. And if you don’t have that ‘spoonful of gratitude’ or you don’t have that guidance or that you don’t have a clear idea of who you are or what you’re going through, you can get lost in all these things.”

She has regularly been gleeful about her fellow Filipinos. Their numbers in the stands are matched by passion. “Being loud and proud, especially when it comes to cultures, is so important and us Filipinos, there are very few nationalities that I see are as loud and proud as us,” she commented. “There are just so many of us that I think it should be celebrated, that there’s someone who’s on the world stage, representing the Philippines.”

It can sometimes be a distraction when she is on the court trying to win a tennis match. Experience plays a part in this as she looks to focus on the task at hand. “I’m very proud to be able to do that for my country. Then again, it’s about balance. I’m focused when I need to be focused. I’m very professional. It’s my first year on tour, but I feel I’m able to handle these things really well.

I know that if I don’t put in the work, everything else won’t follow, because it’s you put in the work and then things will follow.”

Eala comes across as a very positive and upbeat person who is passionate about her country. That follows in suit of her fellow countrymen and women. “The Filipinos, we are quite positive people,” she explained. “We’re very fun or outgoing. I think we have a really, really strong sense of community. Even myself, when I see a Filipino out and about wherever in the world, I feel I’ll know right away that they’re Filipino.

Where you’re from, I think is a really big part of who you are, and the culture that you surround yourself in or the culture that you come from, I think that’s something that’s shared within all Filipinos.”

WTA tennis being played in the Philippines

With this influx of attention, the Philippines has finally got a WTA event. The Philippine Women’s Open was a WTA 125 tournament which saw a large number of talented players, including Eala, take part following the Australian swing. would bow out at the quarterfinal stage to eventual winner Camila Osorio.

Despite being from the Philippines, she has spent a large proportion of her tennis career away from her home country. Recognised as a talent from a young age, she decided to move across the globe to Spain to train at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca. Now, she had the chance to show off her skills in the Philippine capital, something that was very emotional.

“It was an incredible experience for me,” she said. “It was quite an emotional experience as well, being at home. I guess the last time I’ve been able to compete and sleep in my own bed was way back when. It was very emotional just because for me to be able to influence this in some capacity means so much to me just because growing up, there were never those opportunities locally. You’d always have the venture out and find it, also hence why I ventured out and found my opportunities when they arose.

This is just the beginning of the growth of tennis in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. “I think it’s a great platform or great stepping stone for the women, and athletes in general in the Philippines just because they’re able to see the level first and they’re able to experience it. With the 125, who knows, maybe that event will keep growing. It could be a goal for the Filipina tennis players to set like a realistic and professional goal to be able to play in a WTA event at home or all of these countries.”

Appearing on the Player’s Box Podcast

The growth, fame and popularity of Eala have led her to many great things away from the court. One of the latest ones was appearing on the Player’s Box Podcast. Four American tennis players and friends, going by the names of Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Desirae Krawczyk and Jennifer Brady have a podcast together where they offer insight into the WTA Tour while letting slip other stories and interesting topics.

Eala had the chance to join and speak with her fellow tennis players, an opportunity she was in awe of. “It was so funny. They’re such personalities and obviously amazing players. It’s so good to be able to kind of just like have those conversations with them, even whether it’s about tennis or not.”

It shows just how far she has risen in the sport, now having the chance to have a laugh with some of the best players on the WTA. “I think if you had told me that like five, 10 years ago, that I would be just like casually talking to Madison Keys or Jessica Pegula or some mixed doubles winners, you know, Grand Slam Champions, I’d be like, ‘Oh my God, okay.’”

She even had material planned out for her big occasion. “My favourite part was definitely my ‘unforced error’ because that happened and I like waited the whole week and a half to be able to tell them that.”