Eala wins 'for all the girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks'
Philippine tennis player Alexandra Eala stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, becoming the first Filipino to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam in the Open era.
Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old from the Philippines, produced a remarkable performance on Wimbledon's Centre Court on Saturday, defeating defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6 (11-9), 6-2. With this victory, she became the first player from the Philippines to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam in the Open era.
Eala, who trained at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy, told the BBC: 'I went to train every day after school with my ruffled socks, light-up shoes and chubby cheeks – to younger me this is everything.' She dedicated the win to her countrymen and 'all the girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks'.
Eala first gained attention in 2022 when she became the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam title at the US Open. She rose further after her 2025 Miami Open breakthrough, where she again beat Swiatek and later reached the semi-finals. Since then, she has entered the world's top 30, won two WTA 125 titles, and finished runner-up at Eastbourne.
Her popularity in the Philippines has skyrocketed, with viewing parties for her matches and widespread social media support. However, the attention also brings pressure, which she acknowledges as challenging. She emphasizes authenticity and hard work as grounding forces.
Eala's visor is embroidered with the Tagalog phrase 'kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto', meaning 'once it grows, it cannot be stopped'. She says these words allow her to carry her culture onto the court and represent her dream of becoming unstoppable.
