IT was an image, and a line that could not have been more exquisitely perfect had it been created by an army of professional scriptwriters: Filipino tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala, visibly emotional, stood in the sunshine of the biggest stage in the sport, Center Court at Wimbledon, having just scored a stunning upset win over the tournament defending champion and world No. 3-ranked women’s player Iga Swiatek of Poland.
The interviewer asked, “How does it feel to be standing here after just defeating the defending champion on Center Court?”
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Alex replied, her voice shaking. “I’m in the second week of a slam. It’s amazing for me. Iga is a phenomenal player and a really nice person. I’m really grateful to be able to share Center Court with her at Wimbledon. I’m really emotional. Maybe for someone like Iga who’s won so many slams or someone like Serena or Venus [Williams], this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines ...”
Alex paused, struggling to keep her composure, then continued. “I went to train with my brother and grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks, and my light-up shoes and my chubby cheeks,” she said. “To her, this is everything.”
Alex’s improbable run at Wimbledon would end soon after, with her being defeated by Italian star Jasmine Paolini in a three-set quarterfinal match on Monday night, but it hardly seemed to matter. Disappointing, certainly, but Alex, true to form, exited tennis’ most storied tournament with grace and optimism. And why not? No other player from the Philippines had advanced so far in tennis’ Open era, and not since the 1950s has a Filipino tennis player even won a match in Wimbledon.
From being lauded by her girlhood idol Maria Sharapova and the legendary Billie Jean King, meeting Catherine, Princess of Wales, receiving public congratulations from a smiling and excited President Marcos, to being treated like an absolute gift from God by the social media and marketing managers of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and Wimbledon tournament organization, probably the only person in the world at this point who does not already feel that Alex Eala is a champion is Alex herself, because that is the mindset of a truly elite athlete: I did my best, but I can and will do better.
Alex’s rise to stardom says much about the Philippines, but perhaps not in the way that most of her fans here and among the diaspora would think. On one level, she is indeed a fantastic avatar of the country, for those who have no real knowledge about the Philippines other than what they see in this fresh-faced, smiling girl energetically whacking tennis balls across a net at some of the world’s most renowned players. She is a fierce competitor, but a consummate sportsman, gracious and complimentary toward her opponents in victory and defeat, and never neglecting to express her gratitude to her family, her coaches, and her supporters and casual fans. She is evidently very well-liked among her athlete peers, a group that historically has been known for, shall we say, difficult personalities.
But tennis is very much an individual sport, and in that context, Alex Eala does not represent what the Philippines is, but rather what Filipino people can be. She is not the only one to set this example, but just the latest in our growing pantheon of native sporting stars, which includes the likes of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and billiards demigod Efren “Bata” Reyes. Of course, we can take pride in Alex Eala’s achievements, because she is one of us, but her achievements are hers alone. To the rest of us, they are only encouragement, and an example of what Filipinos can achieve if they recognize their dreams, work hard and learn from every challenge.
Alex herself, showing an exceptional amount of wisdom at her young age (she only recently celebrated her 21st birthday), recognized this as well. In an interview following her victory over Iga Swiatek she said, “It’s an honor to be able to pave the way for young girls, and it would be the honor of my life to inspire others. Then again, I want to remind everybody that you can take inspiration from anywhere you want.” But, she added, “The main message here is that I don’t want them to look at me and say, ‘I want to be the next Alex Eala.’ I want them to look at me and say, ‘I want to be the first me. I want to make my own path.’”
