Alex Eala's Wimbledon run inspires everyday Filipinos to fall in love with tennis
21-year-old Alex Eala's historic Wimbledon performance has sparked a tennis boom in the Philippines, though the sport remains elite with high costs and limited infrastructure.
Filipino tennis player Alex Eala, 21, reached the fourth round at Wimbledon this summer, eliminating defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland. That is the furthest any Filipina has ever gone in a Grand Slam tournament.
Her success has inspired many young players, including 14-year-old Maristella Torrecampo, who traveled 13 hours by bus with her father to compete in Manila. Torrecampo said Eala is her idol and she wants to follow in her footsteps.
Tennis is traditionally a rich person's sport in the Philippines. The country has over 112 million people, but courts are usually found in wealthy enclaves. Court rental in Manila costs about 2,000 pesos ($32) per hour—half a day's play costs half the minimum wage. Equipment is expensive, and prices have risen since Eala's breakthrough.
Coach Jovy Barce, who comes from a poor background and started playing with a racket found in the trash, speaks about the challenges young players face without resources. He emphasizes that poverty is not a hindrance if one perseveres.
Eala has been criticized for her elite background: she trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain, her mother is a former telecoms executive, and her father a businessman. Eala responds that critics do not see her hard work.
Upon returning from Wimbledon, Eala received a hero's welcome: President Ferdinand Marcos hosted a reception at Malacañang Palace. Fans also gathered for a meet-and-greet at a mall in Makati. Some, like Federico and Gilia Perez, drove hours from neighboring provinces.
The tennis boom has created problems: courts are harder to book, tennis shoes and apparel are sold out. Urban planner Felino Palafox says Manila, home to nearly 16 million people, lacks space for new courts.
Eala is now preparing for the US Open in August, hoping to further elevate Philippine tennis.
