Alex Eala is obviously one of the ascending stars in tennis and is a megastar in her home nation of the Philippines. She's earned that by already achieving things that haven't been done in Filipino tennis. Her best is likely still ahead of her.
She has also earned the right to speak her views on her sport when asked. This happened after she arrived back home after her Wimbledon run was over. Eala reached the round of 16 when she lost in three sets to Jasmine Paolini.
While answering questions from the media, one asked whether any stereotypes were unfairly pinned on tennis players. One came to mind quickly for Eala: Thinking players are "self-centered" is slightly misguided.
Alex Eala answers the question that can annoy tennis players
Eala said, "Maybe a misconception that’s popping into my head...I’ve heard, I don’t know if this is true, people say that tennis players can be self-centered. I don’t think that’s true. And if someone is self-centred I don’t think it’s because they are a tennis player. I think maybe they’re just being self-centered because that’s who they are. It’s true that in tennis, to a certain point, when it comes to competition you have to put yourself first, and you have to think of yourself."
Exactly. Many might judge a player by how they perform on the court, and that's unfair. One's personality can change during high-end competition. John McEnroe is unlikely to be walking around the streets of New York City shouting, "You cannot be serious!" At least, he isn't likely to be serious if he is doing that.
Some players do appear to transition their match selves into how they are away from the sport. Grigor Dimitrov isn't only respectful while playing; he is well-known as one of the nicer people one could meet.
As for Alex Eala, she might keep one aspect of how she is during matches. Off the court, she appears to be a poised and calm individual. That is also how she performs while playing tennis. This has partly helped her become a star in Asia, but it should help her ascend to being a global superstar as well.
She is only 21 years old and really just beginning her career. She hasn't yet won a major, but she has reached the semifinals at the Miami Open and the quarterfinals at the Dubai Championships. She is currently ranked at a career-best 28, but one should expect that ranking to rise as 2026 plays out.
What if she were to make a deep run at the US Open? She has the skill set to do so, as she is strong from the baseline and has powerful ground strokes. If she were to win that Grand Slam, her image and likeness would be everywhere globally. That's not a bad thing. First, though, she will play the Citi Open in Washington, DC. That begins on July 27.
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