From Manila to Mallorca, her rise wasn’t fueled by luck, but by discipline, vision, and the quiet making of a champion.
Image sourced from Alex Eala’s official Instagram account (@alex.eala)
At just 19 and now ranked World No. 73, Alex Eala is not just rising—she’s reshaping the narrative of global tennis with discipline, grace, and the steady force of a game built to last.
There are athletes who rise through the ranks, and then there are those whose very presence reshapes the story of where greatness can come from. Alexandra “Alex” Eala is the latter.
At just 19, she has become a force—soft-spoken but sharp, grounded yet rising—ushering in not only a new era for Philippine tennis but a quiet revolution in the sport’s global makeup. Her ascent has not been marked by flash, but by discipline. It has not been overnight, but unmistakable.
A Beginning Without Lights or Applause
Alex Eala first picked up a racket at the age of four in Quezon City. There were no grand declarations of destiny—just a child on court, learning rhythm and resolve. Her mother, Rizza Maniego-Eala, a former SEA Games swimmer, and her father, Mike, instilled in her a foundation of both structure and grit.
“My family should take credit for the foundation that they laid out before they sent me here,” she said in a later interview with PhilStar Life
By 12, that foundation carried her across the world to Spain—where a scholarship to the Rafa Nadal Academy would elevate her raw potential into technical precision and mental clarity.
The Rafa Nadal Academy: Where Character Shapes Champions
Founded in 2016 by tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the academy in Mallorca is a fusion of elite training and personal development. There, athletes learn not only how to win, but how to endure—and how to earn their place.
“The academy is like my second home,” Eala has said. “The discipline, the hard work—it shaped who I am.”
After her breakout performance at the 2025 Miami Open, Eala received a personal message from Nadal on X (formerly Twitter):
“We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming.”— Rafael Nadal
Eala later shared, with quiet amusement, that she hadn’t seen the message immediately—her phone had been overwhelmed with congratulations.
The Making of a Contender
Eala’s development has been deliberate. She won Les Petits As in 2018, followed by junior Grand Slam doubles titles at the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 French Open. Then in 2022, she made history at the US Open, becoming the first from the Philippines to win a junior Grand Slam singles title.
Her transition into the professional circuit began on the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour, where she climbed match by match, tournament by tournament, into the WTA Tour—the top tier of women’s tennis.
Miami Breakthrough and Beyond
In March 2025, Eala delivered her most commanding performance yet: a semifinal run at the Miami Open. Entering the tournament ranked outside the Top 100, she dispatched multiple seeded players—including World No. 2 Iga Świątek—before falling in three sets to Jessica Pegula.
The result vaulted her into the global spotlight and solidified her place among the sport’s rising stars.
As of April 7, 2025, Alex Eala holds a career-high WTA singles ranking of World No. 73, making her the highest-ranked Filipina tennis player in history. The milestone reflects not only her steady progression through the professional ranks, but also the growing recognition of her as a serious contender on the global stage.
Clay Season: Return to Familiar Soil
Now, Eala turns her focus to the clay-court season—a stretch that will lead to her much-anticipated debut in the main draw of the French Open.
Her spring schedule includes:
- Oeiras Ladies Open (WTA 125) – April 14–20, Portugal
- Mutua Madrid Open (WTA 1000) – April 22–May 4, Spain
- Catalonia Open (WTA 125) – April 28–May 3, Vic, Spain
- Internazionali BNL d’Italia (WTA 1000) – May 6–18, Rome
It’s a return to surface and symbol—Eala captured the French Open junior doubles title in 2021. This time, she arrives as a professional ranked inside the Top 75, carrying the weight of promise, preparation, and purpose.
Built to Last
Alex Eala isn’t just chasing wins—she’s building something lasting. Her game is methodical, her climb unhurried. She embodies a generation of athletes grounded in work ethic and shaped by purpose.
At just 19, she’s still early in her journey. But with every point played and ranking milestone crossed, she carries with her the weight of expectation—and the grace of someone who’s been preparing for this all her life.
