Alex Eala, the Filipina ace, has been unstoppable — climbing the world rankings and defeating top WTA players Jasmine Paolini, Madison Keys and even former world No. 1 Iga Świątek along the way. The tennis star also recently collected gold and bronze medals for Team Philippines in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.With her powerful groundstrokes and polished on-court look, Eala has become an inspiration to girls dreaming of taking their love for tennis from watching in the stands to playing on center court.She certainly makes it look easy — at least from what we see on our TV screens. In truth, “tennis is one of the most difficult games to master,” said Carlo Angelo V.Borbon, MD, a sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at Makati Medical Center. “It is a highly physical, full-body sport that demands not only speed but agility — to run forward, backward, laterally and diagonally for hours on end. Hand-eye coordination to hit a moving ball with a racquet is a must, as well as the strength to absorb the impact of a ball hurtling toward you at an estimated 70 to 90 mph.”Whether played competitively or recreationally, tennis offers numerous health benefits. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart. It helps build lean muscle while toning the arms, back, shoulders, core and legs. It also fortifies bone density and boosts self-esteem.However, the sport’s repetitive motions and sudden starts and stops can also lead to common injuries that have sidelined even the world’s best players.Tennis elbow is characterized by chronic pain — either aching or burning — and weakness on the outer side of the elbow due to overuse of the forearm muscles and tendons. Dr. Borbon advises resting the arm for a few weeks. “Once you feel better, ask a physical therapist or sports doctor to recommend exercises that will strengthen your arm to help prevent re-injury,” he said.Wrist injuries have forced top players such as Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori and Nick Kyrgios to miss major tournaments. These injuries range from microscopic tears in the wrist tendon to sprains and pinched nerves, resulting in soreness, swelling and weakness of the hand. Overuse is often the cause, but wrist injuries can also occur when players switch racquets or change their grip. “Wearing a wrist brace for support may help with the pain,” Dr. Borbon noted. Investing in a more suitable racquet and modifying grip technique can also reduce the risk of recurrence.Knee injuries can range from meniscus or cartilage wear and sprains to anterior cruciate ligament tears and patellar tendon inflammation. “Tennis involves a lot of sprints, pivots, jumps, and sudden starts and stops,” Dr. Borbon explained. “The knees absorb much of this impact.” He recommends wearing tennis-specific shoes with proper cushioning and support, and considers clay or shell courts, which are more forgiving on the hips, knees and feet than hard courts.For tennis elbow, wrist and knee injuries, icing the affected area, taking pain relievers and reducing playing time may aid recovery. If pain persists, consulting a doctor before returning to the court is advised.Rotator cuff injuries often result from repetitive forehands, backhands and serves. “These repeated motions stretch and tear the muscles and tendons in the shoulder, causing pain and weakness,” Dr. Borbon said. Similar treatment and preventive measures — rest, strengthening exercises and proper conditioning — can help keep the shoulder injury-free.Back injuries, particularly in the lower back, are commonly linked to the serve. The hyperextension during the ball toss, followed by torso rotation and forward bending, places significant strain on the spine. “Over time, this can lead to chronic back pain and even stress fractures that may take months to heal,” Dr. Borbon said, adding that a tennis coach can help refine serve technique to reduce pressure on the back.While injuries are inevitable in any sport, prevention is key. “Do not do too much too soon,” Dr. Borbon advised. “Warm up before playing and cool down afterward. Invest in quality tennis shoes and a proper racquet. Alternate tennis with strength training to build shoulder, arm, core and leg muscles, and get adequate rest.”Surgery may be an option when injuries no longer respond to conservative treatment—but prevention remains the best approach. “Surgery is expensive, and recovery takes time,” Dr. Borbon said. “At the first sign of injury, scale back and treat it immediately. That way, you can enjoy many years in the sport.”
