Breakout Filipino tennis star Alex Eala on Singapore, fame and inspiring young Asian women
Ahead of the Singapore Tennis Open, 21-year-old tennis star Alexandra Eala reflects on navigating newfound stardom, why Singapore feels like one of her many homes, and what it’s like for her to inspire young women across Asia.
Filipino tennis star Alexandra Eala spoke to the media on Sep 18, 2026, at the NCO Club of JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach. (Photo: CNA/Ili Mansor)
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Filipino tennis star Alexandra Eala arrived in Singapore on Thursday (Sep 17) after what has been a milestone-filled year for the 21-year-old.
Last month, she reached a career-high world No 18 and defeated world No 3 Jessica Pegula to win the Washington Open, becoming the first Filipino to claim a WTA Tour singles title.
There was also her history-making run at Wimbledon, where she beat defending champion Iga Swiatek en route to the fourth round – the first Filipino to reach the second week of a Grand Slam singles tournament in the Open Era.
Now, Eala is back in Singapore ahead of the Singapore Tennis Open, where she is set to compete. The tournament takes place from Sep 21 to 27 at the OCBC Arena at The Kallang and returns this year as a WTA 500 event.
On Friday, Eala – an official brand ambassador of Marriott Bonvoy, the hotel chain’s loyalty and travel rewards programme – sat down for a chat at The NCO Club at JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach.
During the conversation, followed by a media Q&A, Eala opened up about adjusting to life as an increasingly recognisable tennis star, why Singapore feels like one of her many “homes”, and what it means to become a source of inspiration for young people, particularly women across Asia, when she herself is still figuring out life as a 21-year-old.
NAVIGATING LIFE AS A RISING STAR
For all her achievements on court, Eala acknowledged that 2026 has required plenty of adjustment away from it too.
“I’ve had to rediscover my relationship with so many things this year because of the extra exposure and just becoming a more public figure,” she said.
One of the biggest things she has had to figure out is boundaries – with the media, fans, people she meets and even the constant commentary that comes with becoming more visible online.
“I’m learning a lot about myself and about what works best for me,” she said. “I’m still 21, so at the end of the day, you have to recognise that I’m still growing and I’m still growing into myself.”
She added that that means allowing herself some grace when she doesn’t immediately know how to navigate everything that comes with her rising profile.
“For not knowing how to do things, it’s very normal,” she said. “But at the same time, I just kind of face these things head-on. You have to be confident. You have to be yourself and just be genuine.”
Eala has also become more deliberate about what she absorbs from social media. She said she sees a “good chunk” of what is written about her online, but has learnt that her relationship with “online noise” is another boundary she needs to manage.
“I definitely appreciate criticism. At times, I think it is very helpful. But I can’t value too much an opinion where they don’t know the whole story, or if it’s unsolicited.”
When the attention becomes hectic, Eala said she composes herself by empathising with others – particularly those of excited supporters – which helps her understand their reactions better.
“I’ve learned the importance of compartmentalising; I’m also now familiar with what keeps me sane and what keeps me happy and healthy, so I focus on that,” she said.
SINGAPORE AS ANOTHER ‘HOME’
Constant travel is an unavoidable part of professional tennis. For Eala, however, travelling from tournament to tournament no longer feels like going on holiday.
Nevertheless, having somewhere comfortable to decompress is important, as it allows her to “wind down”, she said, before stepping out again ready to train, compete or explore wherever she happens to be.
“I do travel a lot because of what I do, so it’s become a part of my life,” she said. “And now, I have so many ‘homes’ around the world.”
Singapore is one of those places that carries an added sense of familiarity.
Eala competed here at the WTA Future Stars event in 2016 and 2017. At 11, she received the prestigious Li Na Inspiration Award, a sportsmanship honour presented during the youth tennis tournament.
“I love Singapore. I used to compete here very often as a kid because this was one of the hubs for tennis in Southeast Asia,” she told CNA Lifestyle. “There’s also obviously a very huge Filipino community here. I do have close relatives here that, whenever I was in town, I’d go see.”
The familiarity Eala feels extends beyond Filipinos in Singapore to Southeast Asia more broadly.
“Southeast Asian culture in general is very close-knit, and I think we find that sense of community in each other,” she said.
Even on tour, Eala finds herself gravitating towards fellow Southeast Asian women.
“We can relate on things like SEA Games, and we know that doesn’t happen for all the other players,” she said, adding that shared humour and other cultural touchpoints make being back in the region particularly special.
And when CNA Lifestyle posed a slightly less serious Southeast Asian dilemma – balut (a popular Filipino street food) or durian – Eala chuckled and thought hard before eventually choosing the king of fruits: durian.
ON REPRESENTATION AND INSPIRING OTHER ASIAN WOMEN
While Serena Williams is Eala’s Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) and Maria Sharapova is a player she’s looked up to from a very young age, one of Eala’s major inspirations growing up was also Chinese tennis great Li Na, the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Eala thus knows firsthand what seeing someone who looks or comes from a similar part of the world can mean.
“There’s a huge power when you see people from where you come from, and knowing they’re successful,” Eala said.
Now, increasingly, she finds herself on the other side of that relationship. Supporters tell her what it means to see a Filipino woman competing on some of tennis’ biggest stages.
“Being able to connect with them is a part of my job and a part of my life – that is really very sentimental,” she said. “It’s opened my eyes to the power of representation and what it can do for people, how it can inspire and how it can touch.
“I look back at myself as a young girl; I know that I went through that same inspiration with Li Na and other Asian tennis players.”
Even so, there is pressure.
“I’m not gonna say that it doesn’t weigh at all,” she said. “But I see it as an opportunity for me to grow, to develop my character, to become more brave, to be more self-confident.
“More than pressure, I see it as an opportunity for me to improve myself and to do my little part in giving back to the community through inspiration.”
Eala is also conscious that her success exists within a much longer history of women pushing the sport forward.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who has paved the way before me,” she said. “Every single woman who has played tennis has contributed to its history and to the progression of the sport.
“I hope to, in my own little way, whatever it is, leave tennis better than I found it.”
And for the Filipino and Southeast Asian supporters who continue showing up for her around the world, Eala remains grateful for them.
“It means so much, and it adds so much meaning to an already very meaningful job and an already meaningful sport,” she said. “They really do show up for me, and I do my best to show up and give back to them. So every chance I can, I want to say thank you.”
CNA Women is a section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modern woman. If you have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with us, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
Source: CNA/iz
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