Alex Eala flattered when mistaken for 'beautiful women' in the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — Filipina tennis star Alex Eala finds it delightful and a compliment whenever she's mistaken in public for other local beauties.
The young athlete was interviewed by Vanity Fair ahead of the 2026 US Open, answering questions while bouncing a tennis ball on a racket while walking around the magazine's New York office.
One of the early questions tossed at Alex was her favorite part of Filipinos fans supporting her stellar runs in tournaments.
"Their passion and the sense of community, because they always show up for me," the tennister answered, then was asked if she remembered the first time she was recognized in public.
Alex figured the first time would have been some years ago, but these days she is recognized more frequently, including a moment last year while out with a cousin, where she drew a crowd.
"They ask for pictures, and they say [or] have this face where they kind of know who you are, but not really," she shared. "They're trying to decipher, 'Are you?,' yeah I get a lot of that."
When asked who people mistake her for, Alex admitted being confused for other tennis players and "some beautiful people in the Philippines," which she considers "an amazing compliment.
Alex was also inquired about her late grandfather Bobby Maniego, her mom Rizza (who appeared in the video), learning from the legendary Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon Center Court being her favorite surface, and her experience with luck, hobbies, and cooking "a mean scrambled egg and rice."
Throughout the whole interview, Alex only dropped the ball once — after answering about playing the first-ever Women's Tennis Association tournament in Manila.
The Filipina exited the 2026 US Open in the third round after losing to hometown bet and good friend Iva Jovic, shifting her focus to the Singapore Open and the Asian Games. — Video from Vanity Fair's YouTube channel
