Alex remains fan-friendly

No matter how famous Alex Eala has become, she will never turn down the opportunity to thank her fans after every match.

As she exited the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C., the 21-year-old Eala gamely signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans, who were predominantly Filipinos, after advancing to the final of a prestigious Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 500 tournament for the first time.

For Eala, despite her stature as one of the best young players on the WTA Tour, her feet remain firmly planted on the ground.

“My family keeps me grounded. My team keeps me grounded. Every error I hit on the court keeps me grounded. Every time I get mad on the court keeps me grounded. Even when I wake up in the morning with bad hair — it all keeps you grounded,” Eala said in an interview with Tennis Channel.

“There are so many things, and I’m grateful that these people are here with me and supporting me every step of the way.”

Eala is coming off a 6-4, 6-2 upset of former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka of Japan in the semifinal last Sunday and was battling world No. 3 Jessica Pegula of the United States for the title as of press time.

Even with her growing fame and as she is poised to climb to No. 24 in the WTA rankings, Eala remains committed and hungry for more titles.

“I still have so much motivation to become a better player and a better person. I’m only 21, so it’s not like I’m the queen of the world or anything,” Eala said.

“Tennis is such a humbling sport. I also look back at how far I’ve come and where I started. I’ve come a long way, and that keeps me grounded.”

As she continues to rise in the WTA rankings, fans couldn’t help but compare her to Spanish tennis icon Rafael Nadal, whose academy helped develop Eala into a world-class player.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion wore green during his 2015 US Open campaign, similar to Eala, who is sporting green gear at the Washington Open.

Interestingly, both Nadal and Eala also wore maroon during their respective breakout campaigns at the Miami Open in 2004 and 2021.

Simply put, Eala remains grateful to the Spanish legend for helping put her on the path she is on today.

“I’ve been there for a really long time, and I spent a lot of my formative years there. I’ve made so many great relationships. And of course, the coaching staff at the academy are so knowledgeable, so experienced. And of course, Rafa himself. So, I’ve learned so many things,” Eala said.

“I left at 13, and now I’m 21. So how much has improved from then to now? I think tactically, physically, technically, in so many aspects.”