Alexandra Eala’s impact on tennis, specifically in the Philippines, has been astounding.
The fanbase she has introduced to this sport has taken to it with ease, and although they can be criticised at times for their raucous support, you’d much rather have them than not.
Their passionate following earned its reward earlier this year, when Manila was granted a WTA 125-level event, thus bringing a little slice of the action back home for the Filipino fans.
However, its timing in the tennis calendar left a little to be desired, and it was still just below the level needed to be considered a tour-level tournament.
Well, that is now all about to change, with Alexandra Eala’s impact having forced through a landmark moment for tennis in this country.
Alex Eala helps the Philippines get a WTA 250 event in Manila
As confirmed by the Philippine Tennis Association, Manila is now actually set to host an upgraded event, whilst still retaining its 125 tournament. This will remain in January, whilst the second is expected to be much later in the year.
As revealed by the PHILTA secretary general John Rey Tiangco: “We’re happy to announce and confirm late last night we threshed out some details with our franchise holder of WTA 250. We’re going to have WTA 250 next year, 2027, late October, early November.”
This will give fans from the Philippines who cannot travel across the globe to support Eala and the wider sport two great opportunities to see the highest form of the sport live.
Eala is currently shining at the Asian Games, representing her country as the heavy favourite to take home the gold in the singles.
At this point, it feels as though her stock can get no higher.
Rafael Nadal reacts as Alex Eala named in most influential list
An indicator of her ever-increasing stature is her recent inclusion on TIME’s top 100 most influential rising stars list.
And, not only was Eala featured, but her post was actually written by none other than Rafael Nadal.
It read: “Alexandra Eala was the first player I shared a tennis court with after my retirement. One day, she asked whether I felt like hitting with her for a while. For the first time in many months, I picked up a racket and played again.
Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
“I’ve been lucky enough to know Alex since she began her journey at Rafa Nadal Academy, and have closely followed her tremendous career. At just 19, Alex beat three Grand Slam champion players at the 2025 Miami Open. This year, she won the WTA 500 tournament, becoming the first player from the Philippines to break into the world’s top 20. And she still has plenty of room to grow. One of her greatest strengths is precisely her ability to listen, learn, and keep improving.
“But perhaps more importantly, Alex remains a wonderful person—warm, approachable, and humble. It isn’t easy to handle becoming a true phenomenon at such a young age, and she deserves a lot of credit for keeping her feet on the ground. Now, all that remains is to keep enjoying watching her progress.”
