Philippines Swept Up in Tennis Fever After Alex Eala's Historic WTA Tour Win

The Philippines is celebrating a historic moment in sports as 21-year-old Alex Eala clinched her first Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour-level singles title, defeating world number three Jessica Pegula. This landmark victory makes Eala the first player from the Philippines to achieve such a feat on the WTA Tour. President Ferdinand Marcos lauded Eala's achievement, stating she "continue[s] to redefine what is possible for Philippine tennis and inspire countless young Filipinos to dream without limits." The win in Washington D.C. followed Eala's impressive run at Wimbledon, where she advanced further than any other Filipino woman in the Grand Slam.

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You continue to redefine what is possible for Philippine tennis and inspire countless young Filipinos to dream without limits.

Eala's success has ignited a national fervor for tennis, a sport previously overshadowed by basketball, billiards, and boxing in the Philippines. Local tennis clubs report fully booked classes, camps, and courts, prompting upgrades to facilities. This surge in interest is a stark contrast to Eala's own experience, who recalled empty courts when she was younger. "Everyone comes up to me whenever I go back to Manila saying it’s so hard to get courts … that’s a good thing because when I was younger the courts were empty, nobody was playing," Eala said at a press conference.

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This is the best Monday final crowd I’ve seen ... To all the Filipino fans that came out, and have supported, you guys are helping to grow tennis around the world, and I appreciate that. Being a female athlete, being in tennis, we love to see that growth.

The nation's newfound obsession with tennis is evident in the widespread watch parties organized for Eala's matches, with fans staying up late to support her across the globe. Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, a previous national sporting icon, celebrated Eala as "our new champion," highlighting her comeback win as a display of the "Filipino heart." Tournament director Mark Ein noted the unprecedented interest in Eala, with a significant majority of ticket requests for the Washington tournament focused on her matches.

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Everyone comes up to me whenever I go back to Manila saying it’s so hard to get courts … that’s a good thing because when I was younger the courts were empty, nobody was playing.