Oct 8, 2026
Eala reflects on pressure, growth on Sharapova’s podcast
FILIPINA tennis ace Alex Eala had a full-circle moment when her idol, five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova, interviewed her for a podcast content.
There, Eala shared the weight of representing the Philippines on the big stage and the massive expectation for her to win every match.
Eala understands the responsibility that representation carries and is determined to stay genuine amid the buzz and fuss surrounding her.
“I’ll die on a hill, saying that you need to be genuine. So that makes me want to be like myself and be the best version I can be of myself. So that, I’m genuinely a good example for whoever who looks up to me,” the 21-year-old Eala said on Sharapova’s Pretty Tough podcast.
“I try to do my best and represent my culture, and represent these lovely people the way that they deserved to be represented. You know, it’s a very emotional experience. When there’s much people involved, my experience is more emotional,” she added.
Eala, ranked No. 18 in the world, said the support from her fans and her rise in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings come with tremendous pressure. “[And because of that support], there’s the pressure. Because I know how bad I wanted, I know what I represent. All of those things make this journey so much more emotional... And that’s not a bad thing,” she said.
Eala said that she was thrilled back then when Sharapova agreed to take a photo with her when she was young. Now she talked with the former No. 1 netter as a peer. Times have changed for Alex Eala since her upset against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek on March 26, 2025, at the Miami Open, where she was then ranked No. 140.
In year 2026, her rise in the WTA ranking demanded that she achieve more victories. “I am able to experience for the first time where I am in a position where I am supposed to win. That’s different, but I like to be in that position. I like competition in general. Whether I am the underdog or the one who’s supposed to win. I love it. I love being there,” she said.
Eala recalled one of her toughest losses this year, which was the 2026 US Open, where she fell to her American friend Iva Jovic, 5-7, 6-3, 5-7, in a tightly contested match in the third round. “I had a tough loss here at the US Open. I think I played really well, and I definitely had my chances to win. I had a very difficult moment after the loss, especially the few moments after,” she said.
“But as time went by, I just looked at my team, and I am so proud of the work that we put in. It’s the belief that my team has put on me.”
The Filipina star said her every loss is part of her growth as a young netter.
During the peak of Serena Williams, Sharapova defeated the heavily favored Williams to snatch the Wimbledon Open title in 2004.
