Alex Eala opens up about pressure of representing the Philippines on the world tennis stage

Published 9 Oct 2026 at 10:38 PM

by Josh Medina

4 min read

Alex Eala acknowledged the pressure of being a Filipino tennis trailblazer, especially as more people look up to her for inspiration
In an interview with five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, Alex explained why she wants to remain genuine and set a positive example for aspiring Filipino athletes
The tennis star described representing an entire nation as an emotional experience but emphasized that the pressure is not necessarily a negative thing
Despite the expectations surrounding her performances, Alex said she enjoys competing and welcomes the challenge of being in a position where she is expected to win

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Filipino tennis star Alex Eala has opened up about the expectations that come with representing the Philippines on the international stage, explaining that the pressure motivates her to become a better version of herself. In an interview with five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova on the Pretty Tough podcast, Eala discussed the emotional demands of being a trailblazer for Filipino tennis.

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“It can get heavy, it can and it definitely comes with pressure. One thing about this whole journey of support that I’ve been getting is I understand the weight that the representation holds and I know that there’s a big audience that looks up to me,” she admitted.

Rather than allowing those expectations to define her, Eala explained that they encourage her to reflect on her character and the example she sets for others. She stressed the importance of authenticity as she continues her professional journey.

“But, I guess, it forces me to look inward as well and I’ll die on a hill saying that you need to be genuine. So that makes me look at myself and be like I want to be the best version I could be of myself, you know? So that I’m genuinely a good example for whoever looks up to me,” she said.

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Eala also highlighted her commitment to honoring her Filipino roots and the people who support her career.

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“You know, I try to do my best and represent my culture and these people–– these lovely people–– the way they deserve to be represented,” she added.

She described the experience of carrying these expectations as deeply emotional, particularly because of how much she wants to succeed and what her achievements mean to others.

“It’s a very emotional experience. What I learned is that when there’s that much people involved, my experiences become a lot more emotional because of the pressure, because I know how bad I want it, because I know what I represent–– all of those things make this journey so much more emotional and that’s not a bad thing,” she asserted.

Following her bronze-medal finish at the Asian Games, Eala also faced a scheduling sacrifice, missing the Beijing Open to compete for the Philippines.

Despite the challenges, she remains enthusiastic about competition and the expectations surrounding her performances.

Alex Eala, formally known as Alexandra Maniego Eala, has made significant strides in Philippine tennis. She became the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam singles title before achieving another historic milestone as the first Filipino to claim a WTA Tour title. Eala honed her skills at the Rafa Nadal Academy, where she developed as a scholar-athlete before moving forward in her professional career. Since then, she has continued to reach new milestones and raise the profile of Filipino tennis internationally.