An era of excellence

As the curtains of the year 2025 fall, Philippine sports fans can reflect and look back on a year that was defined by the rise of new heroes and the continued dominance of established icons.

But one athlete truly stood out — Alex Eala.

The 20-year-old Filipino netter truly had a remarkable season as she soared from being a mere sideliner in the international tennis circuit into one of the rising stars who has the potential to sit at the table of the world’s greatest stars.

From Miami to Guadalajara, New York to Bangkok, Eala has proven that a Filipina can stand her ground against the best players in the world.

But she’s not alone. There are also other Filipinos who contributed to the country’s success at the international level, making the 2025 season a year that will forever be remembered by the amount of gold medals, broken records, breakthrough victories and maiden championships by Filipino athletes.

These Filipino athletes have indeed proven that the era of excellence that started when Hidilyn Diaz won a breakthrough gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 is still in its full glory.

Here are the 10 biggest moments in Philippine sports in 2025:

1. Alex Eala makes WTA breakthrough

Tennis prodigy Alex Eala reached a milestone many thought was years away.

In March, she swept the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) circuit off its feet when she made a magical run to the semifinals of the Miami Open. Along the way, she defeated some of the biggest names in professional tennis like Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek before falling in the semifinals to Jessica Pegula. This historic run propelled her into the WTA Top 100 for the first time.

But she wasn’t done.

Three months later, she advanced to the finals of the Eastbourne Open, where she lost to Maya Joint in a dramatic finale.

She finally scored her breakthrough WTA title at the Guadalajara Open when she stormed back to trounce Panna Udvardy in the final. With that, she etched her name in the history books of Philippine tennis as she emerged as the first Filipina to win a WTA crown.

She also had a breakthrough victory in the US Open when she beat Clara Tauson in the opening round before capping her year with a gold medal in the women’s singles event of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, the first title by a Filipina in the biennial meet since Marcris Fernandez emerged victorious in Brunei in 1999.

With that, Eala reached her best-ever No. 50 in the world ranking in November before closing the season at No. 53, cementing her status as one of the best Filipino tennis players in history.

2. Filipinas lift maiden SEA Games trophy

Aside from Eala, there’s another storyline that was greatly celebrated by sports-loving Filipinos in 2025.

In a historic night in Chonburi, the national women’s football team finally shattered the iron-fisted rule of Thailand and Vietnam when it won the gold medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

After a scoreless 120 minutes in the final against Vietnam, goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel became the hero as she made a spectacular save in the penalty shootout to secure a 6–5 victory and the country’s first-ever gold medal in the women’s football event of the biennial meet.

3. Carlos Yulo reclaims vault world crown

Proving that his Paris Olympics double-gold medal was no fluke, Carlos Yulo soared to the top of the podium in the 2025 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta.

The 25-year-old gymnast captured the gold medal in vault with a stunning 14.866 average and added a bronze medal in floor exercise, reaffirming his status as one of the greatest gymnasts of his generation.

4. National curlers claim historic title

The Filipinos’ brilliance shone even at the most unexpected arena — ice.

The national squad made a lot of heads turn when it defeated South Korea, 5-3, in the final of the men’s curling event of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China in February.

Filipino-Swiss standouts Marc Pfister, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister, Alan Frei and Benjo Delarmente brushed off their underdog status to give the Philippines its first ever Asian Winter Games gold medal in a sport that is not usually being played in a tropical country.

The squad, however, is far from done as it will shoot for a breakthrough gold medal in the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy this February.

5. EJ Obiena extends reign in Southeast Asia

EJ Obiena had proven that he is still the king of pole vault in the region.

Despite a “close for comfort” battle with Thailand’s Amsamarng Patsapong, Obiena cleared 5.70 meters to win his fourth straight SEA Games gold medal in record-breaking fashion.

Despite showing signs of slowing down due to the back injury that he suffered in the buildup for the Paris Olypics, Obiena still delivered when it mattered most when he brushed off a sluggish start en route to retaining the pole vault throne in the biennial meet that was held in Bangkok early December.

Earlier in the year, he also secured his third consecutive Asian Athletics Championship title, proving that he is still one of the most elite athletes in Asia.

6. The Philippines hosts three major world tournaments

With Patrick “Pato” Gregorio’s appointment as chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the country easily handled the demands of hosting not one — but three — world-class events.

A titan in the hospitality industry before becoming the top man of industrialist Manny Pangilinan in sports, Gregorio took the helm at the PSC on 1 July with the marching order of making sure that the hosting of world-level tournaments would be smooth.

He hit the ground running as he spearheaded the successful staging of the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship in September before pulling off back-to-back successes with the organization of the 2025 World Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championship and the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup in November.

Next month, the country is set to host the Philippine Open — a leg in the Women’s Tennis Association calendar, where Filipina sensation Alex Eala has a very good chance of seeing action.

Truly, it was a remarkable year for Gregorio as he already turned the country into a sports-tourism powerhouse with barely six months as PSC chief.

7. Miguel Tabuena defends home course

Miguel Tabuena essayed one of the most feel-good stories of 2025 when he conquered the first-ever International Series Philippines at his home course — Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club.

Against a constellation of international golf stars with the beautiful course where he trained as a young golfer serving as backdrop, Obiena nailed a dramatic putt to win by three strokes, much to the delight of the large Filipino crowd that witnessed one of the Philippine golf’s most defining moments.

Upon seeing the ball rolled in, Tabuena dropped to his knees in tears and hugged his young family, creating a powerful image that will forever be remembered by Filipino golf fans.

8. June Mar Fajardo clinches record-extending 9th PBA MVP crown

June Mar Fajardo continues to dominate the Philippine Basketball Association as he secured han unprecedented ninth Most Valuable Player trophy following San Miguel Beer’s conquest of the Philippine Cup.

The 6-foot-9 Fajardo garnered 3,041 points compiled through statistics and votes from the media and players to beat NLEX guard Robert Bolick and former NorthPort gunner Arvin Tolentino for the league’s most prestigious honor.

With that, Fajardo further cemented his status as the greatest professional Filipino basketball player ever as he already more than doubled the four MVP crowns won by icons like Alvin Patrimonio and Mon Fernandez.

9. La Salle completes UAAP redemption

De La Salle University turned a rollercoaster season into a masterful triumph as it beat University of the Philippines in a dramatic finale to secure the Season 88 men’s basketball title of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

Powered by a second-generation La Salle star in Jacob Cortez, the Green Archers battled through adversities when Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan crashed with knee injuries in the middle of the season. They huffed and puffed all throughout the eliminations and barely made it to the playoffs as the fourth seed.

But they refused to roll over and die.

Against the mighty National University, La Salle posted incredible victories to gain a finals rematch with reigning champion UP.

With the title on the line, Cortez took over, delivering the fatal blows in Games 1 and 3 to complete the fairy-tale ending that is regarded as one of the feel-good stories in college basketball.

10. Manny Pacquiao delivers swan song

Manny Pacquiao, the greatest Filipino boxer, climbed the ring out of retirement for a professional swan song against World Boxing Association welterweight champion Mario Barrios in Las Vegas.

While the match ended in a majority draw, the 47-year-old ring legend showed flashes of his vintage speed, resilience and determination, prompting sideliners to speculate that he still has what it takes to win over younger, more powerful foes.

But more than that, it provided a nostalgic and emotional ending to one of the greatest careers in the history of professional boxing.