Twelve months ago, an 18-year-old Alexandra Eala was ranked 170 in the world.
Competing in the Madrid Open courtesy of a wildcard, the Filipina teenager notched the first WTA 1000 main draw victory of her career by upsetting world No 41 Lesia Tsurenko. She fell to a 30th-ranked Sorana Cirstea in three sets in the second round.
This week, Eala is back on Spanish clay but in a far different position to where she was a year ago. The former US Open junior champion has rocketed up the rankings to a career-high 72 in the world, thanks to a breakthrough run at the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami last month.
The talented lefty knocked out three grand slam champions – including five-time major winner Iga Swiatek – en route to the semi-finals, becoming the first Filipina in history to reach the last-four at a WTA tour-level event.
Her historic achievement made headlines across the globe and her star status continues to grow exponentially back home in the Philippines.
“I think a lot of external factors have changed. More eyes on me, I guess, there’s more exposure,” Eala told reporters in Madrid on Tuesday following her opening round victory over Viktoriya Tomova.
“But in the day-to-day and how I feel internally, nothing has changed much because the work ethic has always been there, my team has been so down to earth, keeping me grounded and reminding me what’s important to focus on right now.”
The key focus post-Miami was to realise the importance of moving on. The travelling circus that is the tennis tour is never-ending and unrelenting and Eala is acutely aware that she can’t coast on one good result in a sport that tests its athletes every single week.
“I try to think moving forward, definitely. What's good now is I have a lot of opportunities with the new ranking to get into the bigger tournaments. It makes things exciting. There's new experiences that lie ahead. I try not to think so much on Miami because it's a lot. I have those memories and I'll keep them forever,” said the 19-year-old.
Such is the speediness of the pace of the WTA tour that Eala has a rematch with Swiatek in Madrid on Thursday, barely four weeks on from their Miami quarter-final clash.
“I'm super excited to play Iga. With the different conditions, to be on clay, it will be a whole different story. It's always a pleasure to share the court with such a great player and a nice person. We'll see how that unfolds,” said Eala.
Many people reached out to Eala since Miami, including former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, who congratulated her and told her she was there if she ever needed anything.
Andreescu was Eala’s age when she exploded onto the scene by winning the US Open and says she wants to make the WTA Tour feel like a welcoming place to players who are experiencing success at a young age.
“I met her in Thailand, I think it was two years ago, and I remember watching her play and I knew she was going to be good,” Andreescu said of Eala on Wednesday.
“She’s a really good person and if I put myself in her shoes, in a way – obviously it’s different – but I want to be honest, I didn’t have anybody reach out to me.
“And nobody was friendly with me on the tour, no one would say hi to me and I told myself, no, I don’t want the next generation to feel that way. I know it’s like a competitive environment, but at the same time, us women, we’re the only ones that really understand each other, as much as possible.
“So I reached out to her, and she knows she can come to me.”
Eala was touched by Andreescu approaching her and said it meant so much to her.
Post-Miami, Eala spent a lot of time with her family discussing what she had just accomplished and said it helped her digest everything that was happening as a result.
The conclusion after all these conversations was simple.
“I don't think that the mindset should change much. I've been competing for so long. In the end, the match is a match. I've played so many tournaments in my life. I shouldn't treat this any differently. Although, 1000s are big tournaments,” she said.
They are indeed big tournaments; so big that retired boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, who is a true Filipino icon, took notice of Eala’s run there and gave her a shout-out on social media.
Eala can’t help but giggle at the idea that Pacquiao acknowledged her existence, let alone followed her results.
“He's such a legend. It's crazy that he even knows me,” she said with a laugh.
“I remember when he used to have fights, we would have watch parties in Manila. In the whole Philippines, actually. It would be like a holiday. It was nice to see that people were starting to have watch parties for me when I reached the semis and things like that.”
Eala feels she has grown both as a player and a person in the last year, noting how experience counts so much for a young woman in her teens.
“This is my last year as a teen, so I'm trying to make the most out of it and soak in as much as I can going into my 20s,” she said.
Eala has been travelling internationally for tournaments since she was eight years old and relocated to Mallorca, Spain to study and train at the Rafa Nadal Academy at the age of 13.
It can be difficult to hold onto one’s youthfulness in a sport like tennis, where many teenagers experience early breakthroughs. When you’re the boss of your entire team, earning millions of dollars and shouldering responsibilities towards sponsors, while simultaneously managing the pressures of competition and fame, it’s easy to forget that you’re still a teenager.
“I feel a skill that I really needed to have as a professional tennis player is learning how to compartmentalise,” said Eala.
“There are times when you need to be a professional and you need to think like a grown-up. You need to be an adult and you need to make conscious decisions.
“There's a time when you can just let go. It's like in work, in a corporate setting. When you're in the office, you're almost a different person than when you're at home.”
Does she feel like she had to sacrifice too much of her childhood in order to pursue this dream?
“Of course, yeah. It's popped into my mind. Your professional life takes a toll on your social life from a young age,” she responds.
“When you're a tennis player. But there are so many connections. There are so many what-ifs. I couldn't have done this. But there are so many things that I have been able to do. That I'm so grateful for. And it just outweighs much more. Because how many people are lucky enough to chase their dreams? And to be a professional tennis player from the Philippines?
“I have so much gratitude. If I didn't have this on-the-go lifestyle, there are so many people that mean a lot to me. That I wouldn't have met in the first place.”
With the tennis season lasting over 10 months, players are always searching for ways to stay connected to their home to avoid burnout and homesickness.
For Eala, having her family with her on the road has been crucial.
“The big thing is my family. They always cook for me Pinoy food, like Filipino food. I feel that keeps me grounded. Because it's a comfort food. I feel everybody, with their food from home, they just feel more connected,” she said.
