MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala is seeing her childhood dream of promoting tennis in the Philippines take off in ways she never imagined, as her rising career on the WTA tour has attracted growing international attention.
“I’ve only dreamed of making tennis grow in the Philippines and now I’m bringing a whole new audience to tennis all around the world,” Eala said in an interview ahead of the BNP Paribas Open. “My friends will tell me the courts are full at home. There’re so many things that I didn’t think would happen just because of what I’m doing on tour.”
Eala has noticed a shift in crowd energy during her matches, traditionally subdued in tennis, with spectators now cheering more vocally. This was first evident during the inaugural WTA event in Manila and continued at the Dubai Tennis Championships, showing her influence extends beyond home crowds.
Even U.S. star Coco Gauff remarked on Eala’s impact, saying, “I’ve played this tournament for many years. And to see the stadium full, it means a lot. I have to say, it is great to be on a crowded court,” after defeating Eala in Dubai.
Eala is set to face Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in the round of 64 at the Indian Wells tournament on Saturday.
