Eala hails 'super impactful' Filipino crowd at Wimbledon

MANILA, Philippines -- Alex Eala didn’t arrive in London alone. Along with her is an entire nation, which she’s hoping to lean on once again as she smashes for more history.

"For me to be able to represent the Philippines in Wimbledon, and in the biggest stages in the world, it means so much to me,” said Eala of the ever-passionate Filipinos who come in droves to England to witness the greatest singles Slam run ever for Philippine tennis.

Eala has already achieved countless feats since her junior days and just added three feathers to her cap in this year alone in Wimbledon: the first Filipina seeded player in Grand Slam history, the first Filipina winner in Wimbledon and the first – man or woman – to reach the third round.

And behind every milestone was a horde of Philippine flag-waving crowds as if the 21-year-old Filipina is at home in Manila.

"It sounds super impactful," said Eala, considered as one of today’s world tennis poster girls, ahead of her trilogy with reigning champion and world No. 3 Iga Swiatek of Poland at press time at no less than the center court of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club as the mecca of tennis.

More than for her personal achievement though, what Eala has done and continues to do so goes beyond her surname.

“Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto.” As translated: “Once it grows, it cannot be stopped.”

Those were the words printed at the back of Eala’s customized visor cap from Nike as posted and promoted by no less than Wimbledon – and she has lived up every word.

A 9-3 grass record this year, a title in Birmingham, a semis run in Berlin with wins over No. 2 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and No. 8 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and a Round of 32 stint in Wimbledon later – Eala is not done.

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

“It's an amazing thing for me to be able to do that for my country, but I guess it's also very emotional every time I'm able to pass a new step or break new ground, just because it's also personal goals and personal achievements,” added Eala.

Eala is global ambassador for the said clothing and sneaker brand, which also paid a homage to her and the Philippine national flower with a personalized Sampaguita hair accessory last year in her Wimbledon debut.

In an announcement on Friday, Eala is also being eyed by the Department of Tourism to join its elite list of tourism ambassadors alongside pop groups BINI and SB19.

And as if it’s still in question now, Eala has risen as the global ambassador of Philippines sports now – and she’s out to bolster it once more with a Round of 16 bid in the queen of grass tournaments.

Expect Eala to aim for it not in lonesome with the 100 million-strong Philippine nation behind her.