(The Manila Times) ALEXANDRA “Alex” Eala has etched her name in Philippine sports history as the first Filipino tennis player to win a juniors singles Grand Slam event.
The 17-year-old captured the US Open Girls singles title with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Czech Lucie Havlickova in Flushing Meadows, New York City early Sunday (Philippine time).
Eala reached the final round without dropping a set through six matches.
She now owns three junior Grand Slam titles, taking the girls doubles championships in the 2020 Australian Open and the 2021 French Open.
During the on-court ceremony after the match, Eala, speaking in Filipino, held back tears as she thanked all the people who helped her win the title.
“Unang-una gusto ko lang magpasalamat sa pamilya ko kasi kung hindi para sa kanila, hindi ko talaga kakayanin (First of all, I would like to thank my family because if it wasn’t for them, I would not have been able to do this),” she said.
She also thanked her sponsors, as well as the Rafa Nadal Academy where she is a scholar.
“Buong puso ko ‘tong pinaglaban hindi lang para sa sarili ko kundi para makatulong din ako sa kinabukasan ng Philippine tennis. Hindi lang ‘to panalo ko, panalo natin lahat. Thank you (I fought for this with all my heart, not just for myself but also for me to be able to help the future of Philippine tennis. This win is not mine alone, this is a victory for all of us),” she added, drawing cheers from the Filipino crowd at the venue… Read More
