Alex Eala at Wimbledon. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
Alex Eala said she felt as if she had a "home crowd" at Wimbledon after hundreds of Filipinos packed Court 12 to cheer her on during her first-round victory over Mexico's Renata Zarazúa.
The Filipina star showcased her growing confidence on grass as she cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win and advanced to the second round of the tournament.
They came early, queued for hours and proudly waved Philippine flags as they chanted Eala's name throughout the match.
The scoreline was convincing, but Eala admitted it was far from easy. Zarazúa fought hard in nearly every game, saving and creating break-point opportunities while trying to match Eala's power, vary the pace, and find a way back into the contest.
Alex Eala at Wimbledon. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
"It had its moments. No match is going to be easy here. I showed a really good level of tennis and played the important points well," Eala described her performance in the press room about an hour after the match.
"I'm very happy with my first round. I hope to keep the momentum going," she added. "May konting kaba pero masaya ako sa laro ko ngayon. Ang daming nanood ang daming suporta, so, masaya!"
With Eala on court were her parents, Mike and Rizza Eala, coach Joan Bosch, and IMG manager Carter Lin, who have been among her biggest supporters.
After sealing the victory — her first-ever Wimbledon main-draw win — Eala ran straight to embrace them.
Adding even more joy to the occasion was the passionate Filipino crowd, who made sure Eala felt supported from the first point to the last.
"Hindi ko inakala na ganoon ka-puno ang court ko kasi alam ko talaga ang hirap makakuha ng ticket dito sa Wimbledon. So, very thankful ako," she said.
"I was really surprised. The Filipinos keep surprising me, and surprising me in good ways. I know how notoriously difficult it is to get tickets to this event. To have what I would call a full house of Filipinos is amazing," Eala said after the match.
"I never would have thought that at Wimbledon I would have a home crowd. Super thankful, and I really enjoyed it," said the 21-year-old Filipina.
Many of the Filipino fans had queued from as early as 3 a.m., while others camped overnight outside the All England Lawn Tennis Club just to secure tickets. Once inside, many also waited patiently outside Court 12 for seats to become available after the previous match ended.
Eala said she deeply appreciated their extraordinary effort.
Alex Eala at Wimbledon. Dyan Castillejo, ABS-CBN News
"The atmosphere of the game really changes when there are a lot of people cheering for me or for my opponent. I am happy when there are a lot of Filipinos," she said.
Eala's growing confidence on grass was evident throughout the match. She played the biggest points with composure and authority, showing how much she has improved on the surface.
This year's Wimbledon marks Eala's fifth grass-court tournament of the 2026 season, and she said she understands the unique challenges that come with playing on grass.
"The grass played pretty good. There were a couple of bad bounces, but there's always bad bounces on grass. I wasn't the first one to play on it today, so I think it was broken in already. It's all good. Yes, it could be slippery — we have to be careful."
Following the match, Eala was escorted by three security staff from the court back to the locker room as Filipino fans crowded around for autographs and selfies.
Eala returns to action on Thursday, July 2, when she faces Australia's Maya Joint in the second round, with a place in the third round of Wimbledon on the line.