Unity

After Carlos Yulo, another athlete unites the country in celebration. Invited a wild card to the main draw of the Miami Open, Alex Eala played wilder and sent her country to wildest frenzy.

A top 100 outsider, Alex stunned her 73rd ranked American foe in the first round. Neither beginner’s luck nor fluke. For in the next round she played razor-sharp to beat razor-thin a former French Open champion currently ranked 25th, earning her a congratulatory message from the king of clay whose tennis academy the Filipina is alumna.

Not a surprise, the 19-year old already showed what she can do when she forced a 23rd ranked Chinese to a final set in the last Asiad singles semis. Alex lost and settled for bronze but proved she can do some damage.

And destroy the current Australian Open champion she did, in the third round. Eala played with steely nerves against world number 5 Madison Keys. Seen by experts to have no chance against the American, Alex found the keys to Madison. On center court no less. The Filipina pulled an emphatic 6-4, 6-2 scoreline to pull off the biggest upset in the tournament. Alex became the first Filipino to beat a top ten foe in the Open Era.

But the round of 16 did not come around, her next foe withdrew. The Filipina walked over to the quarterfinals against world number 2 and multiple slam winner Iga Swiatek. Whether Alex pulls another upset against the woman who graced her graduation from the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy will be answered as this column sees print.

Whatever happens, the teen sensation already scored a breakthrough for Philippine tennis. And sports. She is the first and only Filipino to beat two grand slam winners in a row en route to reaching a WTA 1000 quarterfinals.

At the cusp of breaking the top 100 elite barrier, Alex continues to rewrite herstory in her fledgling career. This column dubbed her Alexandra the Great for winning juniors singles crown at the US Open in 2022. Now she is greater with her new career milestone in the senior tour. Greatest when she qualifies to the elusive main draw of a grand slam. No biggie for other countries. But it is, for the country obsessed with the wrong sport where grand slam tennis is unfamiliar territory.

Alex unified the country so divided by politics and religion. But what if she said something about current events? She will be called names, depending on which side of the fence she vents. With her tennis IQ, trust that Alex chooses her battles well. Serve the ball, not those without balls.