MANILA, Philippines — Filipina tennis star Alex Eala was caught off guard during a fan event in New York City when a fan suddenly got down on one knee and jokingly proposed to her with a lollipop ring.
The hilarious moment took place during a signing event inside a store along Fifth Avenue, where Eala was invited to meet fans as part of an event hosted by an American athletic footwear and apparel brand.
In a reel that has since gone viral, Eala can be seen signing shirts and interacting with fans when content creator Tony Zhao approached her and dropped to one knee.
Zhao then presented Eala with a lollipop ring, leaving the tennis star visibly surprised. Instead of immediately responding, Eala turned to her father for help before playing along with the unexpected proposal.
Zhao later shared the interaction on his social media account. As of writing, the reel has surpassed 2.1 million views on Instagram, with fans joining in on the joke in the comments.
One netizen quipped, “Lol you have to propose to the whole nation,” while another wrote, “The whole PH is watching you bro.”
Other fans jokingly referred to Eala as a “national treasure,” while one netizen praised her father’s reaction, commenting, “Eala’s dad is so chill LOL, great sense of humor.”
The lighthearted encounter comes as Eala continues to make history in professional tennis.
The 21-year-old recently reached a career-high No. 18 in the WTA singles rankings, making her the highest-ranked Southeast Asian woman in WTA singles history.
While Eala has been making headlines for her achievements on the court, her playful reaction to the surprise proposal shows that even a rising tennis superstar can be caught off guard by an unexpected fan.
