Alex Eala was in disbelief, walking around and getting a feel of a familiar yet very different-looking court inside the spruced-up Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Saturday.
A far cry from what it looked like before, when she last played eight years ago, the 20-year-old netter couldn’t believe that such a pipe dream could come true.
The newly-renovated center inside the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex was bustling with life on Saturday in anticipation of the main draw of the Philippine Women’s Open (PWO) starting Monday.
Yes, the qualifying tournament was already ongoing but the feel in the area, especially when Eala showed up for a practice run, turned electric.
For the first time, the Philippines is hosting a Women’s Tennis Association 125 tournament — undeniably an offshoot of the “Alex Eala phenomenon” that took the country by storm following her international success in recent years.
During her historic US Open debut last year, Eala, following a second-round exit, expressed her desire to play on home soil.
And on Monday, the second-seeded local darling will get her chance to showcase her wares in front of her kababayans against Russian Alina Charaeva in the Round of 32.
“I’m so grateful and so a little kind of in disbelief that it’s actually happening. I feel that this dream is so far away. But it’s happened, it’s started, the matches have started, so I’m so happy to be here sleeping in my bed with my family, you know? So, it’s so nice,” said the world No. 49-ranked netter during a brief presser.
Eala admitted that the hype surrounding her meteoric rise that brought the Philippines onto the tennis map has been overwhelming.
“So much gratitude. I mean, it’s so crazy to see this community rallying behind me,” she said.
“And, you know, the support in the end has led to, you know, milestones like this, a home tournament for the Filipinas. So, I like to think that people are really starting to get into tennis and are really interested in helping the sport and making it grow here.
“So, I’m so thankful to everyone who’s made the time, big or small, you know, to support me and just my journey.”
Aside from Eala, other Pinay through to the main draw are Tenny Madis, Kaye Anne Emana and Elsie Abarquez.
Stefi Aludo, on the other hand, advanced in the next phase of the next phase of the qualifiers after beating compatriot Angeline Alcala, 6-0, 6-1, to set a duel with Sakura Hosogi of Japan today.
Although a favorite to win it all, Eala underscored that more than the hardware, the essence of the PWO is to bring the sport closer to Filipinos.
“Well, I think this is a good platform for people to start to know more about tennis. It’s normal that without us having had that much success at this level in tennis in the recent years, you know, it’s kind of not had a lot of spark or, you know, not many people know about it,” she said.
“I think the fact that this is happening and the fact that I’m able to have a match at home is really the focus of this tournament,” Eala added.
“And the fact that there are so many Filipinos here, that’s the focus and the highlight of this week for me more than winning the whole thing.”