FILIPINA tennis star Alex Eala remains deeply thankful for her “amazing” debut at the 2025 Wimbledon, despite suffering a tough three-set loss to defending champion Barbora Krejčíková in the opening round on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old standout gave it her all on Centre Court, winning the first set before Krejčíková regrouped and found her rhythm, eventually sealing the match in a dominant fashion, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Regardless of the outcome, Eala expressed heartfelt appreciation for the experience and admiration for her opponent, who had battled through injuries and worked hard to return to form in time for the All England Club.
Rollercoaster Ride
Eala described the past few days as an emotional whirlwind filled with both triumphs and challenges. Even so, competing at Wimbledon served as the highlight to wrap up a demanding but rewarding first half of her season.
“It was amazing just to be there and walk onto the court. I’m super happy to have had that as my Wimbledon debut,” Eala told the media who were in attendance, a few minutes after finishing her match.
“In the first set, I felt I was able to dominate in certain moments. But in the end, it came down to just one break. In the next two sets, Barbora really stepped up. She was hitting so close to the lines, and she did it consistently.”
“Maybe I wasn’t able to make her uncomfortable enough—but also, she’s just that skillful. So credit is due—give credit where credit is due,” she went on to say.
Although the loss means she has yet to earn her first main-draw win at a Grand Slam, Eala feels she has made significant progress, while also recognizing there’s still more to be done.
“There are areas of my game I need to work on. With time, once the emotions calm down, I’ll sit with my coach to review the match. He probably knows already what we need to improve. We’ll move forward from there,” she said.
First Half, Check
At just 20 years old, the Quezon City native has shattered several records on her way to a historic Wimbledon debut, pushing boundaries and defying expectations in Philippine tennis.
“To all the Filipinos watching here and back home—thank you so much for your support,” she said in both English and Filipino.
“It means so much to me that I was able to play on Centre Court and fight hard against the defending champion. I’m still happy, even though I lost. Tuloy ang laban,” she added.
In only six months, Eala has risen to World No. 56, making history as the first Filipina to compete in the Wimbledon Grand Slam main draw during the Open Era, and the first to reach a WTA Final at the 2025 Eastbourne Open.
Beyond that, she also became the first Filipino to defeat multiple top-5 players and Grand Slam champions at the 2025 Miami Open, as well as the first to win a junior Grand Slam singles title at the 2022 US Open.
With several months left in the year, Eala is set to keep pushing forward, carrying the Philippine flag even higher. Step by step, the rising tennis star is climbing the ranks, showing that Filipinos have a place in even the most competitive arenas.
