Sentences that sentence

Alex Eala lost to Elena Rybakina in the third round of the Italian Open, but not without a statement. She spoke in different unwritten sentences, just as she speaks different languages. The multi-lingual Filipina is fearless, pretty much like the greatest Filipino athlete who feared no one on the ring, bigger or taller. Or both. Or the cop who arrested a strongman. Didn’t blink, instead blanked the resistance. Just as Eala forced Elena to scamper for balls, as opposed to a lawmaker who scampered for safety.

Eala fought tooth and nail against one of the thunderous servers in the women’s tour. The 6-4, 6-3 score line may appear lopsided. But the world number two had to work hard to escape from an upset waiting to happen. The usually stoic Kazakhstani clenched her fist after she clinched the match in apparent relief. She knew the lefty at the other side of the net had could mount a comeback anytime, especially when no one is looking, definitely not in the mold of tectonic shift in senate leadership.

The Filipina tennis sensation performs best when lowly regarded. Pretty much like Lydia de Vega whose ability to win gold after motherhood was doubted by her countrymen and women, even by sports officials. Whichever is worse, Lydia ran like a horse. The Asian sprint queen ran faster than the continental gold standard in the century dash at that time and later broke the 200m regional record. Motherhood does not weaken women, it strengthens them.

Alex is not spared of fan cruelty, Filipinos especially, quick to call her first round exit queen after a string of early losses. Just as netizens are quick to weigh in on national issues with stupidity. Even if Eala loses early, the mean but not lean fans do not get it. Not everyone gets a chance to play in the first round of 1000 level tournaments or the grand slam. And this is the global context where the best of the best bring out the best in each other. Or the worst, with reference to sore losers. Fortunately, Alex is not one of them. She loses with dignity, opts to learn and unlearn. And earn.

Even in the earlier round, the Filipina spoke the loudest. China is beatable, in reference to the taller Chinese player, not the country, protecting Philippine territory is not her responsibility. Whose, the one who slept with the enemy. And this is not about marital infidelity.