Never enough

Alex Eala is now one of the top tennis players in the world. But to her country, she is only top 20. She beat an Olympic champion, a multiple grand slam winner, the defending champion and the top two seeds en route to her first WTA title. But to her country, it is only a 500-level tournament, even if she is the first Southeast Asian to do so.

She has now seven wins against top ten players this season. But her two-season country is not impressed. She is yet to face the crucible of a world number one named Aryna Sabalenka. See, she just lost to Belinda Bencic who extended her lefty domination. The Filipina ace is fearless, never intimidated by any woman across the net. But to her country, she was cowed by the Swiss who blanked her in the second set and ended her 7-match winning streak.

She is now the biggest draw of the tour, forcing organizers to move her to the center court to accommodate the Filipino-strong throng. But her country thinks only Filipinos follow and watch her, even if one foreigner screamed he wanted to be Filipino. Just one, an isolated case. But it was not mere wishful thinking, it was a statement on how Eala rejuvenates the sport threatened by pickle ball.

A few analysts see her winning a major in due time. But to her country, she is not ready yet. Alex needs to strengthen her weak serve, especially against the fastest servers on tour. She returns better than she serves. But her country thinks she must have both. Her serve may be weak, but it can be tricky. Even Iga Swiatek has not solved the puzzle of a Filipina muzzle.

Naomi Osaka praises Eala for being well-spoken. The Japanese loves listening to her words of wisdom. It is beyond her age, while her experience deepens, her game matures. But her country does not hear any of it. Some even politicized her choice of a color. While Alex has been mum about politics, it is easy to tell where she places herself in the political equation by how she speaks and behaves on and off court.

She personifies everything the country needs to learn and unlearn to earn what it yearns. But her country men and women and many more beyond and in between would rather listen to fake news peddlers. They are not impressed by what is real and genuine. Her combined beauty, intelligence and power are never enough for a people stupid enough. No wonder the whole world knows about Philippine history, except the Filipino people.