Alexandra Eala has developed into potentially tennis’ most important and commercially viable asset over the last year or so, given how rapid her rise has been.
Adding to that the fact that she is from the Philippines, a country that has passionately embraced the sport with open arms since her emergence, and it’s no surprise that she is everywhere.
Tournaments will lead their entire marketing around her presence at times, knowing that any videos or photos of her will guarantee views.
And yet, whilst this can only be good for her profile, all this does contribute to a growing fear about whether Alexandra Eala can continue shining when the pressure on her only seems to be growing.
Alexandra Eala discusses the pressure she faces when playing
Speaking earlier this month about how she deals with that pressure, the 21-year-old insisted she was acutely aware of this sensation, whether on or off the court.
Eala claimed: “Of course there’s pressure. There’s also added pressure because of all the support I receive, and I don’t want to let people down. I truly appreciate everyone.
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“Pressure is part of everyday life. Maybe it’s amplified when you’re a competitive athlete, but we’re not exceptions. Everyone has to figure out how to deal with pressure in their own lives. The scale of that pressure has definitely grown over the past year, but I try not to take myself too seriously. When people say, “You’re the pride of the Philippines,” I try not to dwell on it too much. I don’t want it to get to my head.”
She then added: “The other thing I remind myself is that nobody wants me to achieve my dreams more than I do. Nobody has a stronger desire for me to succeed than I have for myself. The biggest pressure I have to manage is not letting myself down. Of course, I don’t want to disappoint everyone who’s supported me.
“But this is also a personal journey. I’m grateful for everyone who wants to be part of it, but I think about the hours I’ve put in, the sacrifices my family has made, and even the time my Lolo invested in me during his final years.
“That’s the biggest pressure I carry. If I can face that head-on, then I feel like I can face anything.”
Alex Eala dealt nightmare Washington Open singles draw
With confusion over Eala’s plan to play doubles with Venus Williams in Washington, at the very least, her singles draw is clear.
And, in what will be her first appearance since her record-breaking Wimbledon run, the Filipina star has been dealt a tough blow.
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Her draw is nightmarish.
She will kickstart her campaign against former Australian Open finalist Qinwen Zheng, and should she win, Leylah Fernandez should await her.
Elina Svitolina should be her quarter-final opponent, should Eala survive her first two matches, before one of Naomi Osaka or Emma Navarro will likely be in the semi-final.
Anyone from Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Diana Shnaider or Anna Kalinskaya could then be in the final.
