Alexandra Eala is a trailblazer for her country, breaking records at every turn.
It feels like with every new win she has surpassed a new milestone, being the first true tennis star to emerge from the Philippines and earn success on the WTA Tour.
Having featured in the main draw of Grand Slams and even reached the final of a WTA-250 event, this has been a stunning year for the 20-year-old.
Alexandra Eala even won her first title earlier this month, albeit at the 125 level, only adding to her historic season.
However, during her current run in Sao Paolo, she was quizzed on the current state of women’s tennis and asked to make a rather bold claim about a change some have called for in recent months.
Alexandra Eala addresses whether she wants women to play best-of-five set matches
Speaking with Clay, they asked her plenty of questions, from her inspirations as a youngster to her greatest achievement to date.
However, perhaps the most intriguing was the one that sought to gather her opinion about whether women should play best-of-five set matches in Grand Slams.
Many called for a tennis rule change after the women’s Wimbledon final earlier this year, as Iga Swiatek demolished a hopelessly nervous Amanda Anisimova.
Eala, however, responded by noting: “We are playing the best of three sets for a reason, and I think women’s sports and women’s tennis in general is super competitive. So that’s a huge change, and all I can say, I’m just 20 years old, you know, I just came on the tour.
When told about the great women of the past who have trialled the format, she added: “I was not aware. I’m just 20, I’m just coming on the tour, I don’t think I’m well experienced enough or have enough knowledge to answer appropriately.”
Alexandra Eala shares her tennis dreams and the Grand Slam she’d most like to win
Continuing to chat with this same outlet, Eala then turned her attention to her hopes and aspirations within tennis.
After all, she has already revealed her immense pride in representing her country, but she will also have plenty of personal goals that coincide with continuing to make history for the Philippines.
Asked what her biggest tennis dream is, she replied: “I’m very ambitious, I think everybody has huge dreams in tennis. To be world number one and to win Grand Slams is my dream, but in the bigger scale of things to be a professional tennis player and to reach this level is something I’m already very proud of.”
Eala concluded by revealing the Grand Slam she’d love to win above all others, admitting: “I would say Wimbledon because from my young age that was the one I really looked for, but the US Open is a close second, close second.”
