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Metro Homecoming Special Featuring Filipino Tennis Star Alex Eala

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<div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784551173415Alex Eala - Metro Homecoming Special.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Alex Eala, as photographed by Artu Nepomuceno</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p><strong>Alex Eala</strong>’s adoring public constantly clamors to bask in her presence, hanging on her every utterance, and ready to be charmed by her every breath. There’s just no qualifying that first sentence, as her whirlwind visit to Manila—between <strong>Wimbledon</strong> and the warm-up tournaments leading to the<strong> US Open</strong>—aptly proved. Her first week in Manila was as tightly scheduled as 6-6 in a hotly contested third-set tiebreak. </p><p>Monday was all about <strong>Nike</strong> (a back-to-back event with the brand) and this <strong>Metro.Styl</strong><strong>e</strong> interview and shoot, plus a<strong> welcome dinner</strong> at <strong>Malacañan Palace </strong>hosted by <strong>President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.</strong> and <strong>First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos</strong>. Tuesday was reserved for an event with <strong>Bank of the Philippine Islands </strong>(BPI), while Wednesday was <strong>Globe</strong>’s “Home Court: The Alex Eala Fan Meet Experience” at the Glorietta Activity Center. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552148681embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552165742embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552180781embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 3.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false">On Alex: Top and skirt by Vania Romoff, jewelry by Sofia Yulo Fine Jewelry, and socks and shoes by Nike</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><p>If the idea was to take a complete break from tennis after her Wimbledon exit and join the Kasita at the Stockholm concert of Bad Bunny, then her grueling Manila schedule was certainly giving her that respite. It made me wonder if she still got to squeeze in time for some on-court practice while she was here in Manila. During a previous visit, I know she had logged in morning sessions at Manila Polo Club’s hard courts. </p><p>And of course, Alex was the absolute darling, nimbly handling the media and her fans by being articulate, smart, and deep—and all this at the tender age of 21. She answers the questions spontaneously, taking a brief moment to form her reply. So while they’re from the heart, they also display depth and precocious wisdom. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552218782embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Alex wearing the Nike Moon shoe</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552236184embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552245782embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Her parents have raised her well. They can be very proud of how she’s combined sports prowess with maturity and a strong value system. Life on the professional tennis tour can be lonely and filled with distractions, but Alex handles these two ends of the spectrum with thoughtfulness. </p><p>During the quickfire portion of the <strong>Metro.Style </strong>interview, Alex mentioned that at this point in her life, <span style="margin:0px;padding:0px">Madrid</span> is her favorite city outside the Philippines. When here in Manila, one of her go-to restaurants is Manam. In letterboxed style, she listed her top three favorite movies of all time and confessed she’s really more of a night person by nature, but due to the demands of tennis, she has to be a day person. Oh, and she loves the beach! </p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552299082embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552325063embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552365323embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><br/></div><p style="text-align:left">I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Malacañan reception, and for the President and Alex, it was such a genuine outburst of mutual admiration and true delight. The President joked about how the whole reception and dinner were just a ruse to create a photo opportunity for the two. Alex gushed about how never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would be giving a thank-you speech at the Palace. It was a great honor for her, and she promised that she would always carry the flag proudly whenever she takes to the tennis court, no matter where in the world. </p><p>What was amusing to watch was the segment of the evening when, like a bride at a wedding reception, Alex would go table-hopping to pose with the occupants of the various tables, some 16 of them. You could sense how special this was and how excited the guests were for this opportunity. And it didn’t matter whether they were a Senator, a Cabinet Secretary, the wife of a top business luminary, or a relative of the President and First Lady; they patiently waited their turn and did not miss out on this opportunity. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552410082embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 14.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552427761embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 15.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><br/></div><div style="text-align:left"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784552468723embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 16.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">On Alex: Cardigan and skirt by Vania Romoff, and jewelry by Sofia Yulo Fine Jewelry</span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">And for me, this reveals much of the reason for the appeal and adulation the country holds for Alex Eala. </p><p style="text-align:left">She represents accomplishment, dedication to honing a skill, and is proof that Filipinos can compete at the highest level. And she stands for possibility. Some Filipinos can still be confused by the scoring system of tennis, but it doesn’t stop them from appreciating her world ranking and her upset victories. For them, she is already a champion, and they love how she loves them back, offering her thanks to them after every match, win or lose.</p><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784615593114embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 20.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784615622625embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 21.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div style="text-align:left"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784615631126embed_Metro Homecoming Special Alex Eala 22.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">On Alex: Dress by Mark Bumgarner, jewelry by Jul B. Dizon Jewellery, and socks and shies by Nike</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>One question we asked her was what the longest time she had ever spent signing autographs and tennis balls after a match was. And we acknowledged that after a match, she could be tired, spent, and wanting nothing more than to head to the locker room. But Alex smiled, did not mention a specific period of time, but spoke about how she’s very aware that her fans have spent hours traveling to her match, lining up for tickets and then for seats, bringing customized placards and banners, cheering her on during the match, and waiting afterward to capture a moment with her. </p><p style="text-align:left">So for her, it doesn’t matter how tired she may be—she’s more than ready to give her utmost back to these supporters. Now, how can you not love her for saying that?! During her fan meet, her fans who shared the stage with her spoke about how much they admire her and are inspired by her never-say-die attitude. Clearly, beyond her top-notch skills and performances during matches, it’s her personality and mindset on and off the court that truly make her a winner.</p><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><p>Metro Head: <strong>Christina Lopez </strong></p><p>Editor-in-Chief: <strong>Geolette Esguerra </strong></p><p>Photography: <strong>Artu Nepomuceno</strong></p><p>Creative Director: <strong>Randz Manucom </strong></p><p>Sitting Editors: <strong>Grace Libero-Cruz</strong> and <strong>Kate Paras-Santiago </strong></p><p>Managing Editor:<strong> Rick Formalejo </strong></p><p>Styling: <strong>Carla Buyo</strong> and <strong>Randz Manucom</strong></p><p>Hair and Makeup:<strong> Thea Dionisio</strong>, assisted by<strong> Erico Bautista</strong> </p><p>Videography: <strong>Lynyrd Matias</strong> (shoot and edit), <strong>Dome Jon Plaza </strong>(2nd cam)</p><p>Editorial Assistant:<strong> Chloe Eve Nillar</strong></p><p>Photographer’s Assistants: <strong>Choi Narciso</strong> (digital tech), <strong>Odan Juan</strong> (lighting), and <strong>Ed Logarta </strong></p><p>Styling Assistant: <strong>Sophia Ancheta</strong></p><p>Cover Art: <strong>Alfonso Arellano </strong></p><p>Shot on location at <strong>Palacio de Memoria</strong></p><p>Special thanks to <strong>Nike</strong> and <strong>Stratworks</strong></p>

<p>In this special feature, we caught up with the Filipino tennis star as she returned to Manila after her historic victory at Wimbledon. In a conversation with Alex Eala, we learned that, despite her breakthrough success and global fame, the 21-year-old remains a darling through and through. </p>

In this special feature, we caught up with the Filipino tennis star as she returned to Manila after her historic victory at Wimbledon. In a conversation with Alex Eala, we learned that, despite her breakthrough success and global fame, the 21-year-old remains a darling through and through.

Homecoming Special: All Eyes on Alex Eala as She Continues to Redefine Filipino Tennis on the Global Court

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Homecoming Special: All Eyes on Alex Eala as She Continues to Redefine Filipino Tennis on the Global Court

Philip Cu Unjieng

Published July 21, 2026 07:00 PM PHT

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