Hong Kong (AFP) - Rising tennis star Alex Eala remembers the moment she realized how popular she had become, especially in her country, the Philippines, telling AFP, "It was shocking."

Published on: 02/11/2026 - 11:25

It was a hot and sunny day last January in Melbourne, and the Filipino player was competing for the first time in the main table competitions at the Australian Open, the first of the four major tournaments.

Large crowds of Filipino fans lined up to watch her, while the small arena that hosted her first-round match against American Alicia Parks was filled to capacity.

After spending some time greeting her fans after losing that match, she was escorted from the stadium with a security escort similar to that usually reserved for heads of state.

"It's hard to forget it," the 21-year-old said in an interview this week during the Hong Kong tournament when she was reminded of the incident. "Yes, it was shocking. I've experienced crowds before, but I think it was probably the first time I'd ever faced something of this magnitude."

She continued, "I think that such moments have a slightly stronger impact when they are unexpected."

In the Philippines, which had never produced a world-class player before, Eala was in the process of becoming a big star, then reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in July, her best achievement at a Grand Slam.

After that, she achieved the feat by defeating four-time major tournament winner Naomi Osaka of Japan in the semi-finals of the Washington tournament, before defeating the first seed, American Jessica Pegula, to win the title.

Eala became the first player from the Philippines to win a singles title in the WTA tournaments.

She is currently ranked seventeenth in the world, the highest ranking in her career, which has increased the spectacle of being surrounded by large crowds of her countrymen wherever she plays.

Learn from Venus

Part of Ayala's appeal in the eyes of her fans is that she does not hesitate to interact with so many of them, so how does she do that even after a loss?

"I do my best to give back to them. It's something I can do to show them that their support is appreciated," said the Hong Kong No. 2 seed.

Ayala's rise to the forefront witnessed her participation in doubles competitions alongside American Venus Williams, winner of several major titles and who is 46 years old participating in the Hong Kong tournament this week.

“I think when you're able to work up close or be around someone that size or someone like Venus, you notice a lot of things, and I try to do some observing,” Ayala said.

She said, "The offensive mentality she has on the field is amazing, and her work ethic is amazing," adding, "I think this work ethic is something that is difficult to achieve."

"The Majestic" Nadal

In building her experience, Ayala can benefit from another legend in the game, the Spanish Rafael Nadal, who she studied at his academy in Mallorca.

When Time magazine included Eala in September on its list of the world's most influential rising stars, Nadal recalled fondly that she was the first player to take the court with her since his retirement two years ago.

The Spaniard described her as “a wonderful person, friendly, close to people and humble,” adding, “It is not easy to deal with becoming a real phenomenon at such a young age.”

Ayala said that Nadal communicates with her coach “most of the time,” adding, “Yes, we communicate from time to time. He congratulates me sometimes, or I write to him on occasions such as the tenth anniversary of the academy and the like.”

Can she have direct contact with the 22-time Grand Slam champion? "I'm sure I can, he's very open about that. He's a very humble person and very close to people," Ayala says, adding, "But that doesn't change the fact that I still feel awe when I'm around him."

© 2026 AFP

The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.