Alex Eala says her success is fueled by Pinoy's sense of 'pakikipagkapwa'

Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala feels "so blessed" to be a trailblazer, representing the Philippines on the global stage.

Days before her historic win at the US Open, Eala shared that a significant part of her pride comes from being the first Filipina to achieve big in the sport.

"I take it with so much pride to wear my flag," she told American journalist Jon Wertheim in an interview posted on the Tennis Channel's YouTube channel. "It makes me feel so special that in a sea of all these Europeans and all these Americans, and all of these powerhouse tennis countries, there's a girl from the Philippines who made it somewhat big."

Wertheim observed how Eala's fans would shriek in excitement when she left the court. She explained this phenomenon by pointing to what Filipinos call "kapwa," a deep-seated sense of community and shared identity.

"I swear, if you just walk on the street and you cross paths like you're going to know they're Filipino. You'll know right away," she said. "And I think that's just the sense of we say 'kapwa' in Filipino. It's like a sense of community or family."

The booming status of tennis in the Philippines

Eala's journey began at four years old. She was inspired by her older brother Miko and their grandfather, Roberto “Bobby” Maniego, who served as their coach, as well as former Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, whom she liked for her "fiery" attitude.

Eala started playing on what she calls a "shell court" and reminisces about competing on "half basketball courts, half volleyball courts" in various provinces, as there weren't a lot of tennis courts available then.

But her success is happening at a time when tennis in the Philippines is thriving. She's "so happy to see how tennis has grown" and loves hearing that it's now "so hard to get courts." She believes this will push for the construction of more facilities.

Her message to her fellow Filipinos is simple yet powerful: "Just to dream big and to see that it’s possible." She wants to inspire them to pursue their dreams, noting that women's sports in the Philippines are currently "really booming."

This mindset comes from her dad, who always tells her "not to doubt." For Eala, believing in yourself is essential because "if you don't believe, then you'll have no chance at succeeding at all."

"That's something that I've tried to emulate in everything," she said. "Just to believe in myself is a super important aspect because for me, I think if you believe in yourself, then you're giving yourself a chance. If you don't believe, then you'll have no chance at succeeding at all."

Eala admitted that she has always been ambitious. Like most athletes, she dreams of becoming the world's number one and winning more Grand Slams. Despite the challenges, she stated that her belief in herself remains "so strong."

"Like I said, there [are] no doubts," she stressed.

Beyond the titles, her ultimate goal is to reach her "full potential."

On Monday, Aug. 25 (Philippine time), Eala became the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match with a first round upset of Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson.

The 20-year-old from Quezon City recovered from a 5-1 deficit in the deciding set to score a thrilling 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13/11) triumph.