At the back of Melbourne Park, tucked behind the John Cain Arena, is practice court 22.
This court and its surroundings are usually quiet at 10am on the first day of the Australian Open as fans rush to take their seats in the stadiums. But on Sunday, Court 22 was instead packed with Filipino fans desperate to catch a glimpse of their new “national hero” Alexander Eal.
The 20-year-old is largely unknown to your casual tennis fan, but she rose up the rankings last year, becoming the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam singles match when she won her first-round clash at the 2025 US Open.
As a result, she has captured the hearts and minds of the Filipino community in Australia and was greeted by hundreds of fans in wild scenes at her training session on Sunday.
Local Jan Marie Cal has followed Eala since she started playing juniors and throughout her tenure at the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Jan Marie Cal (left) with friends and family at Alexandra Eal’s practice on Sunday.Credit: Billie Eder
She said Eala had become a national hero whose fame was on par with former professional boxer Manny Pacquiao.
“She’s the first in a long time, she’s the first Filipino player in AO, that’s why you see the training [is packed]Cal said.
“I think she’s the new Manny Pacquiao and she’s very young so she’s got long, prime years ahead of her. She resonates with what it’s like to be a Filipina, you can see she’s very hardworking, but she also shows her Filipino side and is hilarious in her interviews.”
Leave a Reply