Eala cites World No. 2 Halep, retired Sharapova as tennis idols
MANILA, Philippines – For a lot of young athletes, established stars in their respective sports serve as motivation in their early careers.
Viewed as idols and role models, elite athletes push up and coming stars in every sport to be the best version of themselves.
For Filipina tennis star Alex Eala in particular, those role models come in the form of Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova — both of whom have reached the top of women's tennis at multiple points of their careers.
The ITF Juniors World No. 2 opened up about her admiration of the tennis stars, particularly Halep, during a press conference days after her 2020 French Open Juniors stint.
"I really look up to Simona Halep, I love the way she moves on the court and her attitude. I'm also a really big fan of Maria Sharapova," Eala told media last Monday.
"She's (Halep) always very intense and very energetic but what I like more than that is her mentality and how she works hard and she doesn't give up," she added.
Halep is currently ranked No. 2 in the ITF World Rankings, but has held the No. 1 spot multiple times in her career.
She is also a two-time Grand Slam champion, winning the French Open and Wimbledon in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Like Eala, Halep also began her career early back in 2005 at the age of 13. She was a former World No. 1 in the ITF Juniors Rankings.
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