Senator Panfilo Lacson on Saturday called tennis player Alex Eala the country’s “newest and youngest national hero” after the 21-year-old battled through a right-foot injury to reach the last 16 of the Canadian Open in Toronto.

Eala defeated American Caty McNally 6-3 5-7 6-4 in the third round, overcoming the injury and a late fightback from McNally to extend her winning run. The victory came days after Eala captured her first WTA Tour-level singles title at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington. 

“Make way for our newest and youngest national hero - Alex Eala!” Lacson wrote on X after the match.

Eala, who is ranked a career-high world No. 20 following her Washington triumph, was forced to have her right foot treated during Saturday’s match but continued to compete. She had been leading 5-4 in the second set before McNally won three consecutive games to force a deciding set. 

Earlier this week, Eala became the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour-level singles title when she defeated world No. 3 Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-4 6-0 in a rain-delayed Washington final. 

She beat a string of high-ranked opponents on the way to the title, including Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka. 

Lacson, who is among the senator-judges involved in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, had earlier congratulated Eala after her Washington breakthrough.

“Thank you Alex Eala for bringing honor and pride to our country, kahit pinuyat mo kaming mga Pinoy dito sa Pilipinas kagabi,” Lacson said in an earlier post, joking that he had nearly forgotten an impeachment trial was scheduled that morning.