Filipina tennis star Alex Eala. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
After bowing out in the Round of 16 of the Hong Kong Open, Alex Eala looked back on her 2025 season, a year that saw her surpass her own targets and climb the WTA rankings after her Miami Open dream run.
“It’s really amazing,” Eala said in a post-match interview. “The target I had to end the year was top 100, and that was kinda like pushing it for me, and we passed that by a milestone, so I’m so happy.”
Now ranked as the world’s top 51, the 20-year-old Filipina said she feels optimistic about what’s ahead. “In regard to next year, I’m confident that my team has planned accordingly and will plan accordingly, and I’m here to give it my all, and I’ll do my best to stay and to get better.”
READ: Alex Eala exits Hong Kong Open after falling to Canadian rival
Reflecting on her tough Round of 16 loss to Canada’s Victoria Mboko, Eala said she remains grateful for the energy of the Filipino crowd that filled the stands in Hong Kong.
“Of course, I would’ve loved to win for the people who came to me,” she said. “But it’s also, if I go out and I compete on court, it’s for myself, it’s for my team, it’s for all the work that we’ve put in… and it’s a privilege to have the support of the Filipino people and the fans in general.”
“There’s my motivation, that’s just a part of what motivates me to play tennis, and there are so many other factors that make up my love for tennis. But that being said, I’m so grateful to everybody who came out to support, and I hope they enjoyed the match,” she added.
Eala also acknowledged how special it felt to compete in front of the Filipino community in Hong Kong.
“There’s a huge Filipino community here, so to play tennis and to compete, especially in the tour, I feel very welcomed and I feel the atmosphere is so fun and energetic,” she said. “Although it’s very far away to plan, I’d love to come back next year.”
READ: Alex Eala powers through Hong Kong Open Round of 16 after Boulter retires
Meanwhile, Mboko reflected on the Filipino support Eala had during their match.
“I wouldn’t say it didn’t affect me,” Mboko said, referring to the large Filipino crowd that rallied behind Eala during their three-set duel.
“There were a lot of Filipinos in the crowd, but that’s sports. It happens all the time. It’s gonna happen where one is favored a lot more than the other, and I think it’s how you deal with it that makes a big difference.”
The Hong Kong Open marked the first WTA Tour meeting between Mboko and Eala, although the two have known each other since their junior years.
“I’ve known Alex since the juniors,” Mboko recalled. “She’s such a sweet girl, she’s so nice, and we had so many great memories together off the court. We’ll go and get, like, a bubble tea together, we’ll do the most wholesome things together.”
Still, friendship had to take a back seat when they faced off under the bright lights.
“It’s never fun to play your friend — at the end of the day, on the match, on the court, we wanna win,” the Canadian star said.
EALA CONFIRMS SEA GAMES PARTICIPATION
The Filipina star’s next target is closer to home, as she confirmed that she will be playing in the SEA Games this December.
"Yes, it’s definitely in my plans," she said.
Eala also expressed excitement over reports of a potential WTA 125 tournament being staged in Manila next year, which would mark a major step for Philippine tennis.
“If it were to happen, I would be so, so happy, and it’s just such a milestone for Philippine tennis,” she said.
“Not just obviously for me but for everybody there because growing up, we never had these kinds of tournaments. As long as I can remember, we didn’t even have a 15K in a professional international tournament, so to come in with a 125 is such a big step, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come.”
“It’s only the start, so I’m so happy with that news, even if it’s just in the talks. The fact that they took a step and we’re taking action is something I’m so proud of and excited to see evolve.”