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The stakes were high in Alex Eala’s first Philippine Women’s Open match on Monday night, but she rose to the occasion.
She entered Center Court of the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center to thunderous applause from the capacity crowd, and left it to even louder applause. Alex Eala was finally home, and the Filipino crowd, including those watching from high-rise condominiums in the background, welcomed her approvingly.
Eala made sure her first official match in the Philippines as a professional tennis player would end on a high note, dispatching previous tormentor Alina Charaeva of Russia in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, to advance to the last 16 of the inaugural WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open.
The atmosphere at the venue was electric, befitting a crowd that had waited all day and into the night to finally see the face of Philippine tennis play live. Eala and Charaeva didn’t walk onto Center Court until a little past 8 p.m., but Alex made sure she was worth the wait.
Behind her punishing forehand, which produced winner after winner, Eala simply overwhelmed her opponent. She made it look easy, but she also knew that a lot was riding on this match.
It helped that she drew inspiration from one of the greatest to ever the play the game.
“Yeah, I would say there’s a bit of added pressure,” she said afterwards. “That’s the job. The job comes with pressure and like Billie Jean King says, pressure is a privilege and I’m learning how to handle it in my own ways. I’m happy with how I performed today.”
But there were a few hiccups. After wrapping up the first set in just 24 minutes, Eala found herself trailing 0-2 in the second set. Up to that point, it was a virtual repeat of her first-round loss to Alycia Parks at the Australian Open, where she won the first set 6-0, then dropped the second set 3-6 before eventually yielding the decider.
This time, though, history didn’t repeat itself.
“I think every match is different,” she said. “It’s hard to generalize or categorize the way things flow during a match. It’s different every single time. Depends on you, depends on the opponent, depends on the take and depends on so many things. But I think I played really well today. I think I was able to maintain a level throughout the match, so I’m happy with that.”
Then after she broke back to cut Charaeva’s deficit to 1-2, Eala took a medical timeout to have her right leg treated.
Whatever the physical therapist did, it worked as Eala won the next five games to wrap it up. And fans will be relieved to hear that, according to her, “there was a bit of discomfort and nothing serious. I have a day now to see how it goes. I’ll just let it relax and wake up (Tuesday) and see how I feel.
“I think physical pain is definitely a part of an athlete’s lifestyle. It’s a part of the job. We have to find ways to best manage that and not let it affect us mentally.”
Charaeva had previously beaten Eala in straight sets in their first meeting over five years ago, but it mattered little in their second meeting.
“I think a lot has changed in the past five years,” said the left-hander, who was only 15 at the time. “I would say that I’m physically stronger, I’m a smarter, more well-rounded player. Coming into the match, I treated it like every other match, with a fighting spirit and a good mindset.”
‘A special place in my heart’
This tournament is a homecoming for Alex Eala not only because of the crowd support. It’s also at the Rizal courts where she and her elder brother won a doubles tournament eight years ago.
“Yes, there definitely is a sense of familiarity, but it’s changed a lot since the last time I’ve been here,” she remarked. “Credit to PHILTA and Tita Dyan (Castillejo) for the amazing setup for the tournament. It wasn’t quite this grand when I last competed here, so I would say it’s familiar, but it’s upgraded.”
It’s also safe to say that the crowd support has changed dramatically since the Eala siblings won their title in 2017, to say nothing of the magnitude of both the event and the occasion.
“I think it really holds a special place in my heart,” Alex said. “It’s my first ever professional match at home, I was able to spend it around family and supporters and surrounded with love. So it’s very special.”
“It’s so heartwarming and it’s nice to see that people are really having fun. And I think this is, like I said in many occasions, I think this is a great platform for tennis to grow in the Philippines. It’s a great platform for people to connect with the sport and really just genuinely enjoy and learn more.”
Seeing the love and support from her fans, some of whom even waited until close to midnight to get her autograph, is a reminder for Alex Eala of both the responsibility that rests on her shoulders, and the need to stay grounded.
“I do my best because I know that, especially in international stages, I represent quite a big demographic. It’s such an honor to have this support and this community rally behind me. So I do my best to give back to them and do what I can through my tennis and through my hard work.
“Sometimes when all this attention and pressure gets a bit overwhelming for me, that’s kind of what I repeat to myself. That’s what makes me feel small again and pulls me back to the ground. The everyday person, not only Filipinos, everyone around the world has their own struggles.
“In the end, it’s a privilege to be able to live out my dreams. I’m a professional tennis player. I’ve worked my whole life to be a professional tennis player. I’m at the top of the game. I have so much to feel lucky for, despite the challenges that come with my job.”
Banner images from PHILTA/Philippine Women’s Open