On the back of Alexandra Eala’s white visor at Wimbledon is a message, written in the language of her native Philippines. It reads, “Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto”, which roughly translates to, “Once it grows, it cannot be stopped”.
On Saturday, Eala’s blossoming development took its biggest step yet, as the 21-year-old knocked out defending champion Iga Swiatek on Centre Court to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon. It took an epic effort from the 29th seed, first outlasting the erratic six-time grand slam champion in a titanic 85-minute first set, then as she battled her own nerves in closing out the win of her life, 7-6 (9) 6-2 in two hours and 14 minutes.
It can feel as if Eala breaks new ground for her country wherever she goes. At Wimbledon, history is once again being written in real time. Eala is the first Filipino player to reach the fourth round of a grand slam, having become the first player from her country to win a main draw match at the Championships at the start of the week.
The Philippines is a country of roughly 112 million people – the archipelago in south-east Asia is the 12th most populated country in the world. It is also a nation where its few sports stars are idolised like gods. Eala can remember how her neighbourhood would come to a standstill when legendary boxing champion Manny Pacquiao had a title fight, the occasion feeling like a “holiday” as friends and families took the day off work and came together to watch Pacquiao fly their flag. The Philippines has won only three gold medals at the Olympics but those who did, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and gymnast Carlos Yulo, are still celebrated as national heroes.
The Philippines, though, has never been a tennis country. Before Eala, its impact on the sport had been marginal, if it even had one at all. Not that it matters now, though. As Eala played reigning champion Swiatek on Centre Court, there were watch parties across Manilla. Back home, millions are now attaching their hopes to a 21-year-old who was virtually unknown at the start of last season.
Instead of being daunted by the pressure of representing her country on the world stage, Eala has embraced her position and has drawn motivation from it, all while remaining focused on her own path. “I’m really emotional,” she told Centre Court. “Maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many slams or maybe someone like Serena or Venus [Williams], this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines….I went to train with my brother and grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and shoes and my chubby cheeks. This is everything.”
Wimbledon is a storied place but its most memorable champions are the ones who can connect and win the hearts of the people. Eala’s have wanted to join in with her journey ever since the fresh bud of her talent suddenly emerged.
Facing Swiatek in the third round bright Eala’s journey full circle, against the opponent where her big breakthrough began. As a 19-year-old wildcard at the Miami Open last season, ranked 140th in the world, Eala reached the semi-finals and defeated Swiatek, then the world No 4. It was a monumental upset that announced her arrival. Swiatek defeated Eala in three sets on clay a couple of months later, but the grass brought an additional dimension, where her tricky left-handed game and devious slice becomes even more dangerous as the ball skids flat and low.
At Wimbledon on Saturday, Eala also brought bravery from the baseline. Many breaks of serve were expected between two players with attackable serves, but Eala found clarity in the important moments. In the first-set tiebreak she was forced to save two set points after having opportunities herself, but outlasted Swatiek in the rallies. In the second set, she leapt into a fast start, snapping returns past Swiatek without hesitation. Serving for the match at 5-2, Eala was forced to save four break points, but remained composed.
It was helped by an unravelling from Swiatek, whose title defence collapsed in a familiar pattern and behind 44 unforced errors. Last season’s victory, where Swiatek thrashed Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0, remains an outlier in the Pole’s senior career on grass, with this the third time in five years that Swiatek had lost in the third round. The third seed ran into a dangerous opponent, though. At 5ft 9in, Eala cannot always overpower her opponents, but she can disrupt, looking to rob them of rhythm and pace. Her wins on grass this season include victories against Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina and Donna Vekic, who all have a history of performing well on the surface. It’s quite a record for a player who was not sure if there were any grass courts in the Philippines, and grew up playing tennis on a basketball court that had tennis lines painted on.
Now she can expect to welcome more followers on her journey when she faces former Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini on Monday. The grounds at the All England Club seemed to swell as Eala made more history for the Philippines. Already a superstar back home, Eala is supported by the large Filipino diaspora wherever she plays, which has occasionally caused tournament directors a bit of a headache. At the Australian Open earlier this season, ridiculously long queues stretched through the grounds as her fans waited patiently to pack onto the tiny Court 6. There were not nearly enough seats to meet the demand.
On the night before each of her matches so far at the All England Club, Eala’s fans can be seen arriving at Wimbledon Park and joining the official Queue, settling in for the night. Those fans who could not get onto Centre Court still waited overnight to get into the grounds, packing Henman Hill and proudly waving the Philippines flag.
Eala arrived at Wimbledon carrying the essence of the sampaguita, the delicate white species of jasmine that has been the national flower of the Philippines since 1934 and represents humility and hope. She entered Wimbledon as the 29th seed – another milestone, as the first Filipino player to be seeded for a grand slam. After making history in her opening win over Renata Zarazua, in the second round she battled from behind to beat Maya Joint, the conqueror of Serena Williams.
In the third, playing the defending champion on Centre Court was not an entirely new experience for Eala, either. It was just last year that she faced defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the opening women’s singles match on Centre Court, winning the first set but eventually going down in three on what was her Wimbledon debut. She returned to play Swiatek with another 12 months of experience on tour under her belt, and the results to back it up.
The message of “once it grows, it cannot be stopped” also applies to her supporters, who feel inspired to follow her. “It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and knowing that we’re all in this together,” Eala said. “So this is goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world.”
