Filipina sensation Alexandra Eala has undoubtedly been the breakout star of the WTA Tour this year.
True, she won just one tournament – her first – but her popularity across wherever she has played has not only ensured packed stadiums, it has also seen her swing from the tennis court to haute couture. In September, the Filipino phenom sat front row alongside former Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour at New York Fashion Week’s Michael Kors and Tory Burch shows.
On the court, the left-hander enjoyed a whirlwind season, defeating several top women’s stars. She ousted defending Wimbledon title holder Iga Świątek in the third round of Wimbledon. In August, she then beat Jessica Pegula in the Washington Open to become the first Filipino player to win a WTA singles title.
Eala started this year as world No 53. She’s now ranked 15th, a career-high after she made the final at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in her last tournament of the season. How good a year she has had, is emphasised by the fact that Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who is ranked No 10 in the world, is playing in the WTA Finals, showing how close Eala was to qualifying for the prestigious year-ending event.
“I think that the expectation rises, but so does the demand in terms of what the…
