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Alexandra Eala: Philippines star says 'things have changed' after rise to stardom, reveals 'pressure' that comes with new profile

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Alexandra Eala, the rising tennis star from the Philippines, says she "avoids going out alone" due to her meteoric rise to fame. Eala rose to stardom with a stunning victory over Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open last year, and with her tag as one of the breakout stars on the women's tour, the 20-year-old has accrued a huge fanbase in her home country.

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Rising tennis star Alexandra Eala says "things have changed" after propelling to stardom in the Philippines following her breakout year on the women's tour.

Eala, 20, enjoyed an excellent season headlined by her straight-sets quarter-final victory against six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek at the Miami Open.

In another upset, Eala also ousted No. 14 seed Clara Tauson at the US Open, and is ranked at world No. 49 ahead of her Australian Open first-round clash against Alycia Parks - which will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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She spoke about the honour of the widespread and devoted support she has received from her home country, having spent her recent years based at Rafael Nadal's academy in Mallorca.

"I try to take it in with as much gratitude as I possibly can because I know not a lot of players are able to have this platform and, you know, it's a blessing to have this support behind me," Eala told The Sit-Down podcast. "So, yeah, I won't say that it comes without any pressure at all."

"I haven't been home a lot, unfortunately. The times I've been home though I've felt so loved, things have changed to say the least," she said.

"Yeah, I, I try to avoid going out alone now, but then again, it's blessings. Yeah, just gratitude for it. There's something really cool about that."

Per the Australian Open, Eala is the highest-ranked player in the history of the Philippines, and has drawn huge attention, even in her practice sessions.

Asked ahead of the tournament how she has dealt with her rise, Eala replied: "I try to take it with a spoonful of gratitude. I think not a lot of people get to experience this in their lifetime, so I'm just so grateful to be in this position and to have that support.

"I think, if anything, it's just try to take it in with the positives. It sure does help when I'm out on court and people are supporting, so yeah."

Should Eala make it into the second week of play at the Australian Open, she would be in Melbourne when the Philippine Women's Open - a new WTA 150 event added to the 2026 calendar - is hosted in capital city Manila.

On the introduction of the tournament, Eala said: "I'm so, so happy that it's finally coming together. It's really happening. It's been a dream to have home tournament. Just in the WTA stage in general, I think it's a huge step for tennis in the Philippines and women's tennis especially.

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"I know some friends who are going to play there. So I'm so happy. That's going to bring a lot of inspiration and a lot of motivation for the girls back home. It's just a big step in the right direction, yeah."

Eala is on a potential collision course with No. 3 seed Coco Gauff at the Australian Open, with the pair able to meet in the fourth round, should they both reach that stage.

Stream every match of the 2026 Australian Open live and on-demand on discovery+.

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