(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the country in praising Filipino tennis star Alex Eala for her amazing Wimbledon breakthrough, saying she remained a champion and a major source of pride for the country.
Eala captured global attention after beating defending champion Iga Świątek in the third round of the All-England event before bowing to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the Round of 16.
She became the first Filipino player in the Open Era to reach the second week of a Grand Slam tournament.
In a statement posted on his social media on Monday, Marcos thanked Eala "for proving that no dream is beyond the reach of a Filipino who dares to dream and works for it."
"This remarkable Wimbledon run may have come to an end. But after what you have accomplished, I believe the world has only begun to see what Filipinos are capable of," Marcos said.
"The whole nation is proud of you. You will always be our champion!" he added.
In a separate statement, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos also praised Eala, saying her performance proved that a Filipino belongs among the world’s best in tennis.
"The journey doesn’t end here. This Wimbledon proved that a Filipino belongs among the world’s best and that we are here to stay," Araneta-Marcos said.
"Thank you, Alex Eala, for showing us what is possible. We cannot wait to see what comes next. We are proud of you, always!" she added.Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Robert Nazal said Eala's "Wimbledon journey was cut short but Alex can hold her head up high for her courage—not backing down against any of the higher ranked and more experienced names in the sport, and for her strong presence on and off the court—charming everyone with her grace and humility."
"This is just the beginning for Alex and with all the hard work that she puts in day-in and day-out, I have no doubt in my mind that she will continue to rise up the rankings and become a household name in tennis and in Philippine sports," he said.
"We are proud of you Alex," he said.
