SOME months back, BC or “before COVID”, I wrote about a fresh and very promising face in Philippine sports that just did the country proud in the international sports arena. Well, she did it again, which prompted this encore.
We certainly could use a bit of good news, you know, something positive aside from the usual garbage coming out of mainstream and social media these days.
Sometimes an achievement, a victory in the international sporting scene coming from literally an obscure athlete in a not-so-popular sport in the country, is enough to lift one’s spirit and be proud that a Filipina beat the best the world can offer in the highly prestigious grand slam tennis competition, particularly the Australian Open.
Filipina netter Eala notches Australian Open crown
Filipina teen tennis star Alex Eala writes history after hailing as the champion of the 2020 Australian Open girls’ doubles event on Jan.31 in Melbourne, Australia.
There are only four stops in the prestigious grand slam tennis competition circuit – Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon – and to emerge as a champion in any of them is akin to winning the most popular sporting event in the world, the FIFA World Cup. Well, almost.
That was last January and now Alex Eala once again did the country proud, this time in the French Open.
Excerpts from the Oct. 12, 2020 story on GMA News:
Alex Eala climbs to juniors world Nno. 2 after semis run in French Open
Alex Eala climbed to the No. 2 spot in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) juniors’ world tennis rankings after her impressive run in the French Open.
The Filipina tennister went up two notches after making it to the semifinals in Roland Garros, where she lost to eventual champion and home favorite Elsa Jacquemot.
The Frenchwoman went up five spots to become the new world No. 1, while Australian Open champion Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva slid down to No. 3 after a second round exit in Paris.
Over the weekend, the 15-year-old said she is proud to represent the Philippines in the international competition.
Eala is the only Asian in the French Open girls singles’ draw, attends the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain.
When we say tennis grand slam competition, what immediately or who immediately comes to mind are superstars and icon of the sport think: Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, and Simona Halep to name a few.
Think the glamour, prestige, not to mention the million dollars in prize money and the commercial endorsements not only in sports stuff but luxury items as well.
Think Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Lacoste, BMW, Rolex to name a few products endorsed by these top women tennis players. Now, just imagine a Filipina tennis player up there alongside these icons in women’s tennis.
Yes folks, we have the defending Australian Open Juniors Doubles Champion and the No. 2 spot in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) juniors’ world tennis rankings in Alex Eala. With her latest achievement, she writes another page in history.
If I am not mistaken, Alex Eala is the first and only Filipino to win as champion in any of the prestigious tennis grand slam circuit, reach the semifinal in the French Open, and ranked No. 2 in the world junior tennis ranking.
Yes, Alex Eala is still in the juniors but imagine her a few years from now playing in the seniors. With her talent and good start in women’s tennis, she is certainly capable of holding her own with whomever she faces in women’s tennis.
Admittedly, tennis is not a very popular sport in the Philippines compared to basketball, cockfighting and beauty contests which is quite ironic as like football, height is not an important factor, rather skills and talent are.
Sadly, the average Filipino sports aficionado is only 5 feet 5 inches in height but dreams of playing above the rim in the game of basketball where the average height is 6 feet 5 inches.
Football, like tennis, is a sport with a level playing field, meaning no height advantage or disadvantage, only skills and talent needed.
Tennis, like football, is an intelligent person’s game requiring analytical thinking, unlike basketball that produces instant gratification i.e. the way the game tennis is scored leaves a lot of people lost in translation.
That semifinal in the French Open by itself is already an achievement. Most newbie cannot even get past the first round.
Alex Eala is indeed the present and the future of Philippine Women’s Tennis, well played./PN
