By Benito Reyes
MANILA — Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala is heading back to the Philippines after a memorable Wimbledon campaign that saw her rewrite the country’s tennis history by becoming the first Filipino in the Open Era to reach the tournament’s fourth round.
Following her impressive showing at the All England Club, the 21-year-old athlete is expected to enjoy a short break before meeting supporters during a special fan event later this month.
Globe Telecom announced on Facebook that it will hold the “Alex Eala Fan Meet Experience” on July 15 at the Glorietta Activity Center. Registration opens at 4:00 p.m., with the main program beginning at 6:00 p.m., giving fans an opportunity to personally congratulate the rising tennis star.
Eala’s historic Wimbledon run came to an end after a fourth-round loss to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini. However, she had already captured international attention by eliminating defending champion Iga Swiatek in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
Her performance boosted her standing in the WTA rankings, earning 240 ranking points and moving her to No. 32 in the world, the highest position of her career so far under the WTA’s 52-week ranking format.
The Filipina ace also pocketed £300,000 (approximately US$396,100) in Wimbledon prize money. Combined with her previous tournament earnings, her total prize money for the 2026 season had already reached US$871,438 before the Grand Slam event.
Eala’s breakthrough has been widely celebrated by fans and sports observers, who view her success as a landmark achievement that has elevated Philippine tennis and inspired aspiring athletes across the country.
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